Could this seldom-used bus lane be transformed into segregated cycleway? (video)
A 200m stretch of bus lane in Hackney, London, is used by fewer than 5% of buses on the route
Bus lanes are often a haven for inner-city cyclists and commuters, but the buses themselves pose one of the biggest nightmares for those on two wheels.
Some bus lanes, however, are pretty redundant, with so few buses using them they could easily be done away with. Londoner Brian Jones has found a 200m stretch of bus lane in Hackney that could easily be turned into a segregated cycleway.
>>> Edinburgh cyclists slam proposed bus lane changes
Jones camped out on Balls Pond Road, between Cannonbury and Dalston Junction during rush hour on the evening of March 27. He recorded just how many buses actually used the stretch, which could form part of the proposed Cycle Superhighway 1.
What he found was that of the 31 buses that passed by, only three actually used the lane, with the 28 others pulling out to use the main highway along with the cars. Jones also noted that the three buses that did use the lane did not need to as the traffic was not heavy.
>>> Leicester road proposals include segregated cycle lanes
According to the video, Transport for London itself acknowledges that few buses actually use the lane.
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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.