Well, TfL’s own figures from the three test sites stated that there were fewer accidents involving pedestrians, cyclist and ptw’s. Maybe it sounds more dangerous than it is in practice ?
Bring it on:cool:
Excellent news, lets hope he also reduces the number of buses on the roads ( most of which are empty ) as well as he promised, and hopefully we can look forward to an end to the riduculous phasing of traffic lights for the benefit of pedestrians too.
In my view Boris’ strategy is to make life more bearable for most people who simply go about their business without inconveniencing others, and good luck to him.
good job boris
im not following politics but gave him my vote hoping he will keep some of his promises 
The forthcoming use of bus lanes by motorcycles is fantastic news. At last!I agree in a way that some scooter riders are dangerous and don’t know what they’re doing on the roads. Those who have a licence ride a hell of a lot better than those who don’t and it’s easy to tell. I think CBT is a complete joke, far too easy and everyone passes it anyway. I think a bike licence should be compulsory to ride any type of motorcycle. They could offer different types of licences depending on the engine size of the machine but there should be a compulsory exam for everyone who wishes to ride a motorcycle, whether scooter or motorbike. If they implement something like this, more than half of the scooter riders in London will disappear from a day to another and fewer casualties will occur as a result.
I’m from France originally and have been riding 125cc scooters here in London for the past 10 years. My French licence (which is valid here under EU regulations and that’s why I have never bothered exchanging it for a British licence) only allows me to ride an automatic bike up to 125cc… but at least I was trained to ride a bike and had to pass a test with an instructor at the time.
hi mate, i think you need to trade your licence in for a UK one ASAP, check with DVLA but i think after a few years living here you must exchange it :unsure: even if its from another EU country
i know all EU licences are effectively the same but you still have to register the licence with your perm country, you prob have the old paper one anyway
heres the details:
You have to watch out for the London Cycling Campaign LCC- they where apart a group trying to get large cc bikes banned from london. Thats why I never have renewed my membership…
wonder if boris will allow me to drive my truck in bus lanes without getting fined, if i tell him im a biker as well ?
Personally I find it much more safe to squeeze in the center of the road than trying to pass cars on the bus lane - tried few times and elbowed-off a mirror of a swerving white van, luckily protectors worked and nothing happened to me but could be worse.
On another side - another day I’ve decided to pass some lorries stucked by the construction site entrance… 2 weeks after I’ve found a nice PCN in my mailbox
Everything depends on our common sense IMHO - as I think it’s not really safe to use bus lanes I’d like to have such an option when it’s really necessary.
hi mate, i think you need to trade your licence in for a UK one ASAP, check with DVLA but i think after a few years living here you must exchange it :unsure: even if its from another EU country
i know all EU licences are effectively the same but you still have to register the licence with your perm country, you prob have the old paper one anyway
heres the details:
[/quote]
No, I don’t need to exchange my licence for a GB one as it says in the link you provided:-
If you have a valid community licence, this will authorise you to drive in GB for the period set out below. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British one at any time.
Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in GB:
Car, motorcycle driving licence holders (ordinary driving licence):
until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period I’m 35 so I have until I reach 70 to exchange my licence for a GB one. No panic and no rush!
I agree absolutely - regrettably, even when they can’t be legally used you get scooter and power rangers hooning past in excess of the speed limit totally disregarding the side turnings, site entrances and pedestrian crossings as they shoot up the bus lane.
I think it will be pretty good, but I will only use them occasionally. The most dangerous is when pedestrians cross through stationary traffic into my path. If I ride down the bus lane it will help with that.
I also hate seeing motorbikes using cycle lanes :rolleyes:
I think for me, the biggest benefit will be no longer running the risk of random fines in the post where a council has chosen to put a 50 yard bus lane to catch you out and not having to take my eyes off the road/other idiots to look at a little blue sign 20 feet in the air.
Just somehting less to worry about so I can focus on what’s going on.
LOL i should have read it properly 
is your licence an old paper one? if so i think there can be issues when you get points…as they can only be put on a new credit card style licence and its counterpart…dont know if that means having to go to court or if its just extra hassle at the time…
My licence is an old paper one but still perfectly valid. The reasons why I am reluctant to exchange it for a GB one is that a) it costs money for no benefit and b) it’s a nightmare for the police to take points off it in case I get caught doing something wrong, as it is still (although valid) a foreign licence. Taking points off it would mean a lot of admin paperwork which they can’t be bothered doing (and believe me, I escaped twice from losing points because my licence is not a GB one ;).
Before we go too far off target folks, can someone tell us if all bus lanes are under the the control of TfL?
I thought they only had control on those on Red Routes.
If that is the case, what’s going to be the score with ones that aren’t on Red Routes?
I haope I’m wrong otherwise this is going to be another nightmare.
It will be chaos.
As some of us pointed out before, Boris has no control over any of the bus lanes which are not on red routes. Each council controls the bus lanes on its own stretch which is why some, like Kingston, already allow bikes in most of them.
Some councils may review the position following TFLs lead, there is no guarantee they will. Indeed, I am certain that many of the more cash strapped councils, like Lambeth for example, will have a strong financial incentive to keep the bus lanes closed to bikes. Why would they give up the free revenue they will get from confused bikers?
+1 
They managed to write an SP30 on my old paper licence last summer:Whistling: