Happy new year! London's bus lanes now open to bikers

Hello and welcome back to the UKBike blog! We hope that all our readers had a good break. The seasonal celebrations are now well and truly behind us, but with the new year comes a fresh batch of bike shows, new models and news from the world of two wheelers - plenty to keep our readers entertained.



Today marks the first day of Boris Johnson's experiment to allow motorbikes to use London's 'red route' bus lanes. As we reported back in October, the plan was met with opposition from the London Cycling Campaign who delivered a 3,500-name petition to the Mayor's office in protest.

Still, the bus lanes were opened to motorbikes this morning and the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) have marked the occasion by publishing a code of conduct for city riders who intend to use the lanes.

The code was developed with the Metropolitan Police, and contains guidance and information for bikers, emphasising the benefits as well as the dangers of riding in a shared space.

MCI's Craig Carey-Clinch said: "Motorcycles in bus lanes is good news for road safety and will also help to improve accessibility for motorcyclists who travel in London. However, it is essential that riders use this new freedom responsibly. This is why the MCI and its partners have developed the Code, which provides valuable advice and encourages riders to be aware of pedestrians and cyclists when they ride in bus lanes."

The MCI's code can be viewed at the MCI website.

Motorbikes allowed to use London's bus lanes from January

There's been plenty of motorbike activity in the capital recently. Last Friday saw bikers taking a slow ride through the Park Lane and Marble Arch area, protesting against parking charges for two-wheelers in the Westminster area.

This was followed by Boris Johnson's announcement yesterday that motorbikes will be allowed to use London's bus lanes in an eighteen-month trial that begins on January 5.

The London Mayor said: "One of the ways we can ease congestion is by encouraging more people to get on their bike, whether pedal or powered, and I believe they should be able to share our bus lanes successfully and safely. At the end of the trial period I will listen carefully to the views of all our road users and then make a decision about whether this should be a permanent arrangement."

TfL added that the move could cut accident rates as well as traffic, a claim which has been refuted by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), who presented a 3,500 name petition against the plan to the Mayor back in June.

LCC chief executive Koy Thompson said: "While we would support measures to make motorcycling safer, such as a 20mph speed limit, there is no clear environmental, safety or congestion reason for allowing motorcycles into bus lanes."

Meanwhile, the British Motorcyclists Federation's Jeff Stone responded by stating that the plan would make the roads safer "for all vulnerable road users", and criticised some of London's cyclists for "scaremongering" during a debate which began back in February when Boris Johnson announced his manifesto prior to the London Mayor election.

Bikers have been encouraged to check which bus lanes are included in the trial, information that can be found at this TfL mini-site.