Bus-Lane Useage

[Bush Tucker Man]

I was driving down the road mentioned in this thread yesterday afternoon; Bus Lanes & was idly wondering..........

Seeing as the 110CSW is (in the eyes of the law) a mini-bus, & also for the same reason exempt from London Congestion Charges*, is it legally acceptable to utilise the bus-lanes during their 'operational hours'???

Not that I intend doing so within operating hours, I reckon that if it's not being used in a 'Hire & Reward' situation (ie' as a paying mini-bus) you'd have a hard time explaining yourself to any Traffic Officer who stopped you

Letter Of 'Non-Intent'

I'll have to ask the father-in-law, as he's part of 'Vehicle Engineering Management' at Arriva Buses


* Congestion Charge Exemption is not dependant on its 'H&R' status, simply its seating capacity

[drum]

I think bums on seats, is involved, but don't quote me on it.

[Bush Tucker Man]

Seeing as the 110CSW is (in the eyes of the law) a mini-bus, & also for the same reason exempt from London Congestion Charges*, is it legally acceptable to utilise the bus-lanes during their 'operational hours'???

* Congestion Charge Exemption is not dependant on its 'H&R' status, simply its seating capacity

I wonder if the same will apply when Leeds gets its system up & running? :D  :D
I foresee hanging around car-parks just outside the exclusion-zone & offering bus-lane rides into the city-centre
 :lol:  :lol:

Unless the system gets abandoned like the tram system has been, it would have cost the government too much money.
I'll bet it doesn't as they can take more revenge for voting out a Labour MP
(but that's 'by-the-by', & 'M-C' isn't really the place for politics)

[Ben]

Seeing as the 110CSW is (in the eyes of the law) a mini-bus, & also for the same reason exempt from London Congestion Charges*, is it legally acceptable to utilise the bus-lanes during their 'operational hours'???

Not that I intend doing so within operating hours, I reckon that if it's not being used in a 'Hire & Reward' situation (ie' as a paying mini-bus) you'd have a hard time explaining yourself to any Traffic Officer who stopped you

My understanding is the same - a non-public service vehicle (bus / taxi) shouldn't be using bus lanes during operational hours.

I lead Working Holidays for the National Trust, and as part of this they let us loose with various different mini buses (some properties use 12 seater 110's :D ). I had to do an extra driving qualification (MiDAS - Minibus Drivers Awareness Scheme) to be covered by their insurance, and we were advised to keep out of bus lanes even when fully loaded with passengers. It appears to be down to the status of the vehicle - Private, rather than public (H&R) - rather than the seating capacity.

Cheers

Ben

ps - sorry I didn't get up to see you and the 110 last week - work got late, and then I had to be back in Sheffield so ran out of time. Next time...

[Bush Tucker Man]

Thanks Ben, I think we can 'take that as read', the NT don't usually do things wrong.
Oh, well, maybe again for the 110 then?

PSVs only then.

Don't look at me like that!
I stated in my first paragraph that it was only a thought :roll:

[Red Defender]

i drove down a bus lane in portsmouth this morning in a empty 17 seater minibus and i drove past 6 police motorbikes all in a 300yd stretch (must be trying to get their quotas up ? :roll:  - they didnt bat an eyelid and its something i do quite regular all over the place and ive never been stopped yet !! :D