Transport Crucible

Riders of scooters and motorcycles will be allowed to use most Red Route bus Lanes in London from now onwards in an 18 month trial of the measure. This move by TfL Chair and London Mayor Boris Johnson follows years of rows over the merits and pitfalls of a safety measure that has been successfully deployed in 17 UK cities – and in various other nations throughout the world including ultra safety conscious Sweden. The move is welcomed by motorcycling groups and attracts varying degrees of hostility from cycling lobbyists , while the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) reports a couple safety benefit facts first and the feelings of opponents second. TC notes that this latest new trial scheme follows another three year TfL trial which formally ended in 2006. It is also worth noting that this measure has been introduced on a trial basis in many locations throughout the world but that not one of them has ever been withdrawn. This fact offers a clear indication that the net results of this measure on safety are positive – and for all vulnerable road users. It is, after all, difficult to believe that such a measure would be maintained anywhere if there was hard evidence that it increased casualties among pedestrians and cyclists. Unfortunately for all concerned the full results from the preceding three year TfL trial have never been formally published by TfL or the Mayor. The report on that study was subjected to a two year period of internal wrangling at TFL. A final version of the report was signed off by TFL in September 2008, and submitted to the previous Mayor. But Mayor Livingstone’s key adviser, named Kevin Austin by the Evening Standard, sent the report back to TFL with orders to remove two thirds of the document that mostly contained evidence indicating safety benefits for all vulnerable road users. This action behind the scenes also coincided with a public decision by former Mayor Ken Livingstone (prior to losing his job in May) that he would not allow motorbike access to bus lanes. TC can confirm that the full TfL report was seen by Boris’s advisors prior to his election and that it informed his decision to go-ahead with this latest trial. Strangely, the full report is still unpublished – which begs a fulsome question raised in the Telegraph a year ago – and TC wonders if this has anything to do with the another strange fact. The former Red Ken advisor who insisted that only a cut version of the report could be published is still in City Hall and guiding his new Blue boss and his new boss’s new advisors…