You could face a fine of up to £130 if you are travelling in a car, van or lorry and drive within one of the bus lanes, including on approach to the Thames’ bridges.
Regardless of the hours that you’re travelling, the fine will be enforced with the aim of preventing buses from getting stuck in traffic congestion throughout the day, encouraging the general public to use more public transport rather than individual transport where possible.
After an 18-month trial period which is due to end in March 2022, it intends to decrease the number of delays for bus users no matter what time of day they are travelling.
These changes will have an effect on roads such as Albert Embankment, Battersea Bride Road, Tower Bridge Road, Vauxhall Bridge Road and more that provide access to the Thames’ bridges.
As we continue to adapt to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, more Londoners are making adjustments to various working hours with hope to adhere to new social distancing measures, ultimately minimising the risk of transmission.
Transport for London (TfL) have since announced their goal was not to generate revenue or income, instead it is to increase reliability through keeping traffic moving – escaping a car-led recovery. Alongside this, it is expected that improvements can be met through the new lanes for cyclists who are allowed to use these without risking a fine. Motorcycles and taxis will also be allowed access.
Currently, throughout the 33 boroughs of London, there are approximately 400,000 penalty charge notices handed out by TfL each year, so the expansion of the hours these rules apply will see an addition to their revenue. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, claimed in a previous statement, “what we can’t afford to have is a car-led recovery.”
“What we don’t want is one health crisis being turned into another: bad air quality”, he said.
The Director of Bus Operations at TfL, Claire Mann, explained that “we look forwards to engaging with groups, individuals and organisations to gather relevant feedback” and that it will “help shape any permanent changes that are implemented, making bus lanes beneficial to the majority.”
Furthermore, the AA have stated that traffic levels can expect to be unpredictable for some time moving forward while adjustments are made to the lanes and their operating hours.
Overall, it looks as though the changes will have quite the impact if you are driving in London. However, planning your route ahead and, where possible, avoiding peak hours in these areas can support you in avoiding a penalty charge notice.
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