Been riding 3 weeks and every bus lane on my commute is bike friendly…apart from 1 it seems!!
Was greeted last night when I go home with a bus lane fine from Lambeth council… and jumped straight on Google Street view to find they are right… DOH!!
There is a small stretch of bus lane that bikes cannot use on Kings Avenue, I think its because it passes a school.
I am a little concerned now as I cannot remember if I have used it after this, could be an expensive mistake!
Im so annoyed with myself as its such an easy fine to avoid!!!
I think it was an unattended camera so will hate the postman for the next week or so :crazy:
The bus lane on Kings Avenue is a camera one and is not open to motorbikes - plus don’t overtake the traffic island near the Acre Lane end of Kings Avenue when passing the queue of traffic. I once did that and got a fine through the post.
However, 2 days ago I was biking down Kings Avenue going to work and saw someone on a 125 overtaking the line of traffic ON THE PAVEMENT!! Hope that wasn’t you :D:D
There are a few bits of bus lane knocking around that motorbikes aren’t allowed in, Waterloo bridge is one and there’s a ridiculous 20m long section on the A3 near E&C roundabout in newington butts.
I don’t know if it’s an error updating the signs, stupid planning or a cunning method of revenue generation. Bloody annoying either way.
Had the same lesson, mine turned a bit worse when I didn’t pay first and second notice and I received 200 pounds charge to pay. I was a bit depressed because of this case but at the end I managed to avoid it speaking with Islington council. They finally decided to cancel it and since that surprise I decided not to use bus lanes and I do it only if there is a huge traffic that I can’t filter in any other way and when I’m sure that the sign clearly allows motorbikes in the lane.
I think if i get another I will call Lambeth council and try my luck. Like you i am going to steer clear of bus lanes unless im 100% sure I can use them.
Interesting article in the Sunday Times today about councils rolling out a new automated traffic monitoring camera system that can process 4x as many tickets as the current manually controlled ones. They cost £17,000 each, but as they can process 1,000 £65 tickets an hour somehow I don’t think the initial cost will put off councils from buying them.
Probably different from council to council but in Lambeth I recall reading that if the bus lane is on a Red Route it’s open to us… All others I check before entering. Kings Ave being one I pass every day so know better.
