15BUS LANES AND GATES
GENERAL
15.1 This section describes only bus lanes and gates that use prescribed signs, i.e. facilities for buses, cyclists and taxis. Where other vehicles such as motor cycles or heavy goods vehicles are to be admitted, or where off side with—flow lanes are to be introduced, the signs will require authorisation (see para 2.1) and guidance should be sought from the Department. Working drawings for some non—prescribed signs, including those for bus lanes that may be used by motor cycles, and those for high—occupancy vehicle lanes, are available on request from the Department.
15.2 Bus lanes may be either with—flow or contra—flow. With—flow bus lanes on the left hand side of the carriageway are always available to both buses and pedal cycles; it is not considered safe to force cyclists to use the general traffic lane where they would be confined between two streams of motor traffic. There might, however, be situations where a with—flow lane leads directly to a bus—only facility that is not available to pedal cycles (e.g. a bus—only gate or the entrance to a bus station). In these circumstances, where the bus lane excludes cyclists, traffic signs will need the Department's authorisation. A with—flow bus lane may be used by taxis (hackney carriages) where permitted by the order. A contra—flow bus lane is generally used by buses only, but pedal cycles may also use the lane where permitted by the order.
15.3 Signs and markings for bus lanes prescribed by the Regulations are for near side lanes only. Where centre or off side with—flow lanes are required, advice should be sought from the Department before submitting an application for authorisation. Contra—flow lanes should always be on the near side (see para 15.18).
15.4 Bus—only streets and bus gates are lengths of road or parts of a road where access is restricted to buses, although sometimes other vehicles such as pedal cycles, taxis and trams are also admitted.
WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTIONS
15.5 A bus lane order should always prohibit waiting during the operational period. Signs and markings, provided in accordance with section 6, are required only where an order is made to prohibit waiting during any period when the bus lane is not in force. It is not necessary to include the operational period of the bus lane on the waiting restriction signs, unless the two periods overlap. For example, where a bus lane operates from 7 am to 9 am and the prohibition of waiting is 6 am to 9 am, the waiting restriction signs will indicate a time period of 6 am to 9 am, not 6 am to 7 am. Where waiting is prohibited at all times and the bus lane operates for a shorter period, the road marking will be the double yellow line to diagram 1018.1. Upright ”no waiting” signs are not used in this case (see para 6.6).
15.6 Loading will normally be banned also, although there may occasionally be special reasons why it needs to be allowed, such as off—peak loading in a 24-hour bus lane. Any prohibition of loading, whether during or outside the hours when the lane is in force, should always be indicated with signs and markings in accordance with section 6, but without the need also to indicate a prohibition of waiting unless waiting is prohibited outside the operational period of the lane.
15.7 A bus lane may include bus stop clearways; these should be signed in accordance with section 9.
WITH-FLOW BUS LANES
15.8 Figure [[#fig15.1|15-1}} shows a typical example of the signing requirements for a road that has a with—flow bus lane. Guidance on the use of road markings is given in section 17 of Chapter 5. Figure 15-4 shows the signs that may be provided to indicate the lane to traffic approaching from a side road.
15.9 Advance indication of a with—flow bus lane is provided by the sign to diagram 958. Where the speed limit is 20 mph or 30 mph, the sign should be sited 30 m in advance of the lead—in taper formed by the road marking to diagram 1010, with a minimum clear visibility distance of 45 m. Where the speed limit is 40 mph, the sign should be sited 45 m in advance of the taper with a minimum clear visibility distance of 60 m. For higher speed limits, advice should be sought from the Department (see para 15.14).
15.10 The sign to diagram 959 is a regulatory sign and should be placed at the start of the lane, i.e. where the continuous line to diagram 1049 begins. It should be repeated just beyond each side road, other than one—way roads leading away from the major road on the opposite side to the bus lane. Additional repeater signs should be used where the distance between them would otherwise exceed 300 m.
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