Monday 4th October 2010

Coalition To Axe M4 Bus Lane

Prescott's hated bus lane goes for a burton

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Rejoice, all ye who travel east into London on the M4! Transport secretary Philip Hammond is expected to announce the scrapping of the M4 bus lane next week.

The controversial motorway bus lane - which was introduced during John Prescott's time as Transport secretary in 1999 - will be suspended from 24th December this year. It will be resurrected for use during the 2012 Olympics, but then finally scrapped thereafter.

It's a move that shows the Coalition (or at least the Tory part of it) appears to be keeping to its pre-election stance as a motorist-friendly party with the announcement (although some commentators have suggested that the bus lane actually helps traffic flow).

"Nothing is more symbolic of Labour's war on the motorist than the M4 bus lane," Mr Hammond is expected to say during his speech (at least, so the BBC tells us).

Quite right, Mr Hammond. That's the symbolic gesture sorted, now how about getting on and removing those speed cameras a bit quicker?

[va1o]

Good riddance!

[sparkister]

Clarkson is going to be happy.

[garycat]

When I was on the M4 recently it seemed to be used by black mercedes limos more than buses & taxis.

[goron59]

Hurrah!

[TobesH]

Goodbye, you will not be missed...

[simonrockman]

The traffic flow argument is that the Westway can't cope. By pushing traffic off the M4 onto the A312 the routes into London share the load.

The reason this doesn't work is that the A312 then can't cope with the diverted traffic - much of it is residential - and the solution should be to upgrade the routes into London so that people can actually get to where they want to go to.

Simon

[Skipe]

Hurray for some common sense!

[FishFace]

I hate London!

[havoc]

There does seem to be rather a lot of 'common sense breaking out' in the halls of Parliament this year. Anyone think it'll last?!?

[bakerjuk]

simonrockman said:

The traffic flow argument is that the Westway can't cope. By pushing traffic off the M4 onto the A312 the routes into London share the load.

The reason this doesn't work is that the A312 then can't cope with the diverted traffic - much of it is residential - and the solution should be to upgrade the routes into London so that people can actually get to where they want to go to.

Simon

I hate to say it as it makes me sound like I liked the bus lane, but removing it will just push the problem further down the road. It certainly wont remove it. If they are going to make a big difference they need a motorway hacked through the entire center of London, and we know thats never going to happen.. So thanks Tories for keeping your promise (My vote has not been wasted), but I don't think we should go rejoicing at the future of congestion free entry into London.

[Larry Dickman]

Meh politics. I really don't see how getting rid of it will make any difference to car journey times.

[McAndy]

[Johnpidge]

1 x bus lane gone 1500 more to go!!

Can I get my angle grinder out for the speed camera cull

[dwspirit]

More common sense from the Coalition.

[traffman]

garycat said:

When I was on the M4 recently it seemed to be used by black mercedes limos more than buses & taxis.

Yes that will be Simon Cowell and his entourage.

[nickpan]

Bus lane or no bus lane - won't change the fact that the bottleneck occurs where 3 lanes reduces to two at the start of the flyover...

[odyssey2200]

nickpan said:

Bus lane or no bus lane - won't change the fact that the bottleneck occurs where 3 lanes reduces to two at the start of the flyover...

^^^ this

[Dr G]

Agreed but I have an irrational hatred of the M4 bus lane and I'm glad it's going!

[Twoshoe]

Dr G said:

Agreed but I have an irrational hatred of the M4 bus lane and I'm glad it's going!

I'm not sure it's irrational!

[shakotan]

odyssey2200 said:

nickpan said:

Bus lane or no bus lane - won't change the fact that the bottleneck occurs where 3 lanes reduces to two at the start of the flyover...

^^^ this

That's pretty fking obvious, but at least the 'middle lane morons' will be passable for that bit longer.