Many drivers choose to stay away from bus lanes at all times, wary of the prospect of fines, but motoring experts say this can lead to needless congestion when lanes could be legally used.
While avoiding bus lanes is often a good idea, particularly at peak times, some motorists are not aware that there are times they can legally drive in some bus lanes. Despite this, it is common to see them left clear at all times, which can result in congestion needlessly building up.
Why Drivers Avoid Bus Lanes
This is probably because many drivers do not understand the rules, or are wary of being tricked in some way. They may decide it is safer to just stay away from them.
Some bus lanes can be legally driven in during quieter times, such as after 7pm or on Sundays. This essentially frees up another traffic lane during these times.
Signage and Operating Hours
However, motorists should always look for signage as some bus lanes operate 24/7, particularly in towns and city centres. For example, a bus lane sign may state Mon-Sat 7am-7pm. This means drivers do not risk fines outside of these times.
Motoring experts at the RAC say many drivers inherently stay away from bus lanes, even at times when they can be used, because they are unsure of the rules and fear being hit with a fine. They have perhaps trained themselves to keep away at all times or may have been burned by penalties in the past.
RAC Calls for Clearer Signs
Head of policy Simon Williams said: "Our suspicions around the visibility and clarity of bus lane signage have also been borne out, with drivers expressing considerable concerns about signs often being hard to spot and difficult to understand.
"Bus lanes are more common in urban environments where the driver’s job in spotting and comprehending bus lane signage is arguably even harder. There is so much else to take in, from vehicles and other road users to traffic lights and warning signs.
"Our findings suggest the quality and frequency of signage is a big part of why so many drivers fall foul of bus lanes. And it appears there is a very unfortunate knock-on effect for bus lanes that only operate at certain times of day, with drivers not using them even when they’re allowed to.
"This seems to be for a combination of reasons ranging from an inherent fear of being fined to just not being sure of what the signs say."
