Been a while since I used London Bridge, but now Tower Bridge is closed I tried it out this morning. Having filtered through the mess on the southern approach I was about to head up the bus lane when I noticed it said buses & cycles only. Didn’t seem to bother loads of motybikes using it though.
Doesn’t look like there are any cameras along there. I never use to chance it when I use to use London Bridge. As to odds… you would have to be the last or only bike in the pack using the bus lane… and have a cop in the queue of traffic who knows/cares that it’s closed to bikes at all times.
Never understood why bikes aren’t allowed in the bus lane on London Bridge. It’s a red route, we can use the bus lanes leading up to it on the South - so why this crappy exception on this one bridge?
I usually try and filter between the two lanes of traffic, or just outside the bus lane, hugging the cars to the right. Pain in the ass though, as the bridge is often grid lock at rush hour going North.
Either way, the square mile and SE1 has turned into a joke since the introduction of the Cycle Superhighway and now has Tower Bridge shut. Now what’s the odds they’ll screw up Tower Bridge during this work? Solid whites down centre? Squeeze in a cycle lane to squash everyone up further? Fit more rear facing cameras? Other random street furniture to obstruct us?
If it's a red route, you can use it. Boris set off a trial period for motorbikes to use any red route bus lane and this is still in place.
brains_t
I think London Bridge is in some weird limbo area, possibly managed by Southwark Council. Although it has red route paint down, it's not any red route map:-
And as that motorcycles in red routes page says, in the big grey box at the very top, “Motorcycles are allowed into bus lanes on most of the Capital’s red routes.” Most, not all.
Approaching the T-junction on the eastbound south circular at Forest Hill station is another where we are not allowed. I just assume the exceptions are due to the need of prioritizing buses. Such as because of the higher number of services crossing London Bridge, or to keep the stops clear in Forest Hill.
London Bridge is a red route, it is Southwark Bridge that may not be. The police cannot stop you for traveling in bus lanes on red routes as the mayor has permitted it, if you’re speeding that’s another matter. Just because it does not have the bike sign is irrelevant. Source - discussed to death, three months ago with the Bikesafe cops.
Out of interest Brains…is it the same for the bus lane on the A3 coming into town, where just after a set of lights, a right fork, 2 lanes go into one and the bus lane is separated by some concrete…is about wpm long, then rejoins A3
The sign is bus and cycle…but defo a red route. Sat there loads of times.
Everyone rides the white line on London bridge. Why they don’t open it up for motorcycles I don’t know. The bridge is often completely full at rush hours. Madness.
I know where you mean. It doesn't really achieve anything by excluding bikes. If I don't need to go into it I don't, but if the normal bit of road is blocked I would. Don't think there's any cameras on it & if there is, then my research leads me to believe they don't care. :)
Today I thought I’d try Southwark Bridge & see what that was like.
Turned off the A3 at Borough station & it was a different world! From there to Upper Thames Street by Cannon Bridge station without having to stop at all & so devoid of traffic I only had to filter up the RH side for about 50m at the end of the bridge. Obviously this is helped by TFL’s diversion route declaring that you only avoid the congestion charge when heading south on the bridge.
So Nick, there should be no need to bake me a Xmas pud with a file in it instead of a thrupenny bit.
However…
WTF is it with that cycle lane on Upper/Lower Thames Street?
I’m not adverse to a cycle lane, but does it really need to take up a whole lane & a bit? Did the cycling lobby manage to sneak in the bicycle flow statistics from clocking off time at a 1970s Chinese factory into TFL’s capacity planning calculations?
I use the bus lane every day… only get grief from the Cyclists… i just say that i can afford the fine and move on with a smile on my face (and then pray a new camera has not been installed over night or a jobs-worth is standing north side pulling people over)