Observant bus travellers in Lancaster will have noticed what appears to be the promise of a number of "Bus Gates" in the streets surrounding Lancaster Bus Station as displayed in white paint on the carriageways.
"BUS GATE" markings have appeared in Wood Street, Chapel Street, Cable Street and (not pictured) North Road.
Wood Street Entrance Cable Street Entrance
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| Chapel Street |
However, anyone expecting to see some exciting hi-tech street furniture dedicated to keeping all other traffic out of the way of Lancaster's buses and looking a bit like this will be disappointed.
Our "Bus Gates" will be nothing more than the white paint (backed up by a traffic regulation order) that is already in place. A spokesperson from Lancashire County Council's Highways Department explains:
Historically the regulations allowed us to mark the road with either "Buses only" or "Bus lane", Buses only meant a road that only buses could drive down and Bus lane meant essentially 'this is a lane for buses only, normally next to a general traffic lane' (think Greyhound Bridge).
In 2016 the wording "Buses only" was retired and the alternative "Bus Gate" was introduced. It essentially means the same thing. I.e. this is a section of road that only Buses (or other modes of traffic that may be signed - often Taxis and cycles) can proceed down.
In your first photo (Wood Street) the No Entry except Buses supports the Bus Gate - i.e. only Buses are allowed along this road.
In 2016 the wording "Buses only" was retired and the alternative "Bus Gate" was introduced. It essentially means the same thing. I.e. this is a section of road that only Buses (or other modes of traffic that may be signed - often Taxis and cycles) can proceed down.
In your first photo (Wood Street) the No Entry except Buses supports the Bus Gate - i.e. only Buses are allowed along this road.
In the third photo which I believe is Chapel Street the markings are likely to be the introduction of the TRO that was advertised back in February, the details are still on the website https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/
The BUG must admit that we missed the advertisment for the Traffic Regulation Order when it appeared on the Council's website last year, although its possible we didn't look closely enough
and didn't expect to find it listed along with "Burnley and Hyndburn"!
The Order confirms that Wood Street is to be a "Bus Only Street"
Chapel Street is more complicated as is explained (!) is the following paragraphs
2. Introduce a prohibition of driving, except buses, cycles, taxis, access and authorised vehicles, in Chapel Street, Lancaster, from its junction with Cable Street for a distance of 31 metres in a south easterly direction.
5. Introduce a bus lane, except cycles, taxis and authorised vehicles in Chapel Street, Lancaster, from a point 31 metres south east of its junction with Cable Street for a distance of 18 metres in a south easterly direction. NB in accordance with section 3(2) of the Act, the council is satisfied that for facilitating the passage of vehicular traffic on the road it is requisite that the provisions of section 3(1) of the Act should not apply to the restriction contained herein.
7. Introduce a bus only street in the following lengths of road: a) Bus Station Westerly Access Road, Lancaster, the entire length; b) Wood Street, Lancaster, the entire length. 8. Introduce a bus only street, except cycles, taxis and authorised vehicles in North Road, Lancaster, from its junction with Chapel Street to its junction with Damside Street in a westerly direction. NB in accordance with section 3(2) of the Act, the council is satisfied that for facilitating the passage of vehicular traffic on the road it is requisite that the provisions of section 3(1) of the Act should not apply to the restriction contained herein.
If you are wondering what happened to paragraphs 3, 4 and 6 they cunningly refer to similar proposals in parts of Burnley and Accrington, which isn't in the slightest bit confusing.
The work of the county council in managing road traffic is obviously about a lot more than just sticking up a few road signs and slopping on a litre or two of white paint and no doubt all of the above is necessary to make the restrictions legal and bullet-proof from those parts of the legal profession that specialise in helping motorists get away with driving where and how they shouldn't.
Hopefully, if they are enforced, these measures will reduce the amount of traffic around the bus station but it's a pity that similar effort can't be expended in providing a safe crossing point on Damside Street for passengers walking between the bus station and the city centre.
