Bus lanes

[Holdsworth]

As far as I know there is only one bus lane in the whole of Crewe, it is situated on Crewe Road where it is a dual carriageway for a while when it passes the ind. estate and B&Q.

Street View


As you can see from the lettering it states that is for bus and taxi use only, no mention of cyclists. There is a shared use path on the pavement next to it so I assume the council planners want us to use that instead. Of course I never do as I find off-road route a pain in the bum to use for a lot if not all of my riding.

The bus lane ends a short way on from the above photo for a left turn only lane for the ind. estate and then restarts again after the junction and carries on the r'bout where it finishes. That first junction isn't ideal for bikes as it would mean that you would be in the wrong lane for going straight on, when I use this stretch I go into the middle lane and filter back to left after the junction. This doesn't seem to affect buses as they must have special road rules in place to allow them to use that lane.

I'd like to know whether I am legally allowed to use this lane? I have seen it mentioned on here than some lanes are reserved for bus and taxis only and bikes are barred from using them, is there a way to find out if this is the case here?

 

[Red Light]

I'd like to know whether I am legally allowed to use this lane? I have seen it mentioned on here than some lanes are reserved for bus and taxis only and bikes are barred from using them, is there a way to find out if this is the case here?

Legally you are not. As the blue sign a bit further back says, its for buses and taxis only. You would need a cycle symbol to be on the blue sign for it to be legal to cycle in.

 

[Adasta]

I'd be surprised if you ever got "caught" for doing it, though. It almost seems expected that cyclists share bus lanes...

 

[lulubel]

Legally, you're not, but I would. You don't want to get in a situation of buses passing on your left if you can avoid it. If something cuts you up on your right, and you've got a bus on your left, you've got nowhere to go. And I would also do as the buses do and stay in the lane across the junction. Unless there are give way signs and/or arrows telling the buses to rejoin the main carriageway, the bus lane is still there, but traffic turning left is allowed to use it.

 

[Jonathing]

Legally you are not. As the blue sign a bit further back says, its for buses and taxis only. You would need a cycle symbol to be on the blue sign for it to be legal to cycle in.

Oh bums.

I was under the impression that cycles were permitted in bus lanes regardless of whether the signage had been revised or not. That makes much of my journey considerably less safe than I believed it to be.

 

[headcoat]

We have one like that in Hamilton Sq in Birkenhead, although I use it I have wondered if cycles are allowed to. As far as I know there is no cycle lane running near it, so the only other 'legal' choice is to go right round the square.

 

[Chris S]

I used to walk along that road to Crewe & Alsager College (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University).

My clothes used to stink of diesel fumes by the time I got there, I wouldn't want to cycle along it breathing in huge lungfulls.