London Bus Lanes - Still Waiting says BMF

[Sadie]

The latest Transport for London review on the use of London’s bus lanes by motorcycles has been greeted with disappointment by the BMF.

Transport for London (TfL) have been conducting monitored motorcycle access trials on three trial sites; the A41 to the North, A23 to the South and A13 to the East, since 2002, but at a review meeting held yesterday, it reported that a survey of all collisions, (including those involving motorcycles), while largely proving inconclusive, suggested that casualty reduction on the three trial sites was in fact less than in other main road corridors without bus lane access.

The BMF say that because TfL are using an overly complex system of assessment to compare collisions with those on the rest of the Transport for London Roads Network such claims are questionable, numbers are small and the statistical significance doubtful. Also, the effect of increased concentrated motorcycle traffic migrating from other routes (where motorcycle numbers had therefore been reduced), had not been considered and neither were the actual causes of collisions taken into account.

At the review, presentations were also given by Kingston and Westminster who had conducted their own motorcycle access trials. Kingston has had little negative feedback whereas Westminster has had positive indications of casualty reductions despite the trial only been operative for 9 months.

On the plus side, the BMF welcomes the fact that TfL have accepted that motorcycling has not been given the parity that it warrants and proposed that more contextual data was needed with wider monitored access to bus lanes from outer as well as inner London. It is also pleased that TfL has appointed a motorcyclist, Tom Duckham, Project Manager for the London ‘Safety’ Camera Partnership, to a part-time secondary post as a ‘focal point for motorcycling’.

Commenting, BMF Senior Government Relations Executive Trevor Magner said:
”The results of the monitoring are disappointing but not surprising given the overly complex assessment and questionable methodology used. The good thing is that TfL now at least accepts that motorcycling has not been treated equitably and appears to be addressing the concerns of the motorcycling community, which we hope will herald a new period of co-operation.”

The BMF is also pleased that its concerns will be taken into discussions with the Greater London Authority with an action plan promised before the end of the year.
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With experience comes age.

[Yosemity Sam]

[Sadie]

[Itchy]

I keep telling you the BMF don't represent us they seem to have folded too easily at least the could have twisted the facts in our favour but instead it turns into a :

BMF : can we use bus lanes?
TfL : No
BMF oh ok then...

damned government sycophants
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Yosemity Sam]

Elusive Access to Bus Lanes in London

Issued 27th September 2006

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) says the long awaited results of bikes in bus lanes trials discussed at a seminar yesterday with Transport for London have left riders somewhat frustrated.

MAG has been working closely with Transport for London (TfL) through the London Motorcycle Working Group to push for a definitive answer on permanent motorcycle access to bus lanes which have been trialled on three routes since 2002.

The large amount of data collected in the trials was transposed through an unnecessary complex methodology which churned out a result that was at best neutral and at worst inconclusive.

However in MAG's opinion the results clearly demonstrate that motorcycle safety has improved on the three trial routes.

In real world terms for riders this means that accidents and injuries cannot be used to prove or disprove that motorcycles should be allowed permanent access to bus lanes and thus to extend that excess to other bus lanes.

Gerard Livett, MAG's Greater London Regional Representative said, 'What we have seen today represents a collision between road safety and political expediency. The safety argument has been blown out of the water, and this now becomes a political and personal transport issue.”

London’s Kingston and Westminster Boroughs who have allowed access to bus lanes for motorcyclists gave presentations on their own trials, which have had little negative feedback and produced a positive indication of casualty reduction.

Adding further comment Gerard Livett said, “Ordinary motorcyclists are fed up of TfL's prevarication, and MAG believe that TfL should just bite the bullet and follow the example set by other cities throughout the UK and open up all their bus lanes to motorcycles."

However Transport for London has expressed a commitment to further analyse the study data and it is expected that TfL will have a final report by the end of this year.

A further commitment was made that the London Motorcycle Working Group would evolve towards a centre of excellence for motorcycling to deliver motorcyclists concerns on a range of transport debates and turn those concerns into action.

MAG says that there is a role for private motorised transport, not just in London and that motorcycles have a legitimate role to play in transport systems.

While policy and political issues take place in the background riders should simply continue to use bus lanes that allow access and enjoy the congestion busting capabilities of the motorcycle.

Ends

Notes

1. Motorcycle access to bus lanes include: Bath, Northern Ireland (48 out of 60 Bus Lanes), Birmingham, Bristol, Colchester, Derby, Reading, Grimsby, Hull, Swindon, Sunderland, M4 bus lane - junction 4 to the elevated section of the M4 near Chiswick, London – 5 trial sites. Motorcycles are granted access to High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes in Leeds and South Gloucestershire. Non-car lane in Moorgate in the City of London, Sheffield, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Doncaster, Essex – Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 to propose county wide access, M1 Junctions 7-10 HOV trial site, Peterborough, Sutton

2. MAG overview on Bus Lanes in London word doc 247kb

https://www.network.mag-uk.org/documents/mag-proof-040213.doc

Issued by

Trevor Baird
Director Of Public Affairs

MAG UK
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Tel: +44 (0)870 444 8 448
Fax: +44 (0)870 444 8 449

Email public-affairs@mag-uk.org

The UK's Leading Riders' Rights Organisation

www.mag-uk.org

[bazza]

Let me get this straight - they've been trialling this for FOUR YEARS and concluded that the results are "inconclusive"?

JHFC.
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[Jackyboy]

The BMF are too busy infighting and lynching queers to be concerned about real world issues
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[tintin]

I ride into London and I usually use a back route from Stretham to Stockwell rather that the A23 however I;'ve used it a few times recently because of road closures. Initially I didn't even realise that you could use the bus lane, I just noticed the symbol one night. Having used it I'm convinced it is safer then filtering down the outside of the traffic, especially as the road is narrow and often congested. I never normally filter down the inside of stationery traffic, I've had too many close shaves doing this.

My only concern would be that it could provide a false level of security and higher speeds could result in a more serious accident if a car turns through the traffic across the bus lane.

Overall a good idea but I would treat using it with caution
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