What do you think of Elon Musk? Have your say | No thanks
Taxis and bus lanes - Ben79
Should taxis be allowed to use bus lanes?

They are not public transport, they create the same (if not more) pollution, often in a dangerous state, often driven dangerously, they take up the same space on the road....

If taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes because they are doing business, then shouldn't all people in suits, company vans or wearing a uniform be allowed there too?

Don't get me wrong, I use taxis on a saturday night after a few beers, but even on 10pints or 5.68 litres for the eurocrats, I still know when a car has bad shockers, suspension and cheap tyres that screech and understeer...

Ben
Taxis and bus lanes - Bromptonaut
Yes, but only the proper ones, licenced to ply for hire, not death trap minicabs. Suppose you could stretch the point to private hire, ie those taxis which are licenced and metered but only allowed pre booked work. They don't seem to exist in London though.

Reason? well they are public transport in the sense that they are available to the public. They are also highly utilised instead of just being driven into town and parked.

Another current debate is use by motorcyclists.
Taxis and bus lanes - Cardew
"Another current debate is use by motorcyclists"

In my experience, mainly in London, motorcyclists always use the bus lanes as well as break just about every other regulation in the book.

If I am correct the main enforcement(e.g prosecution)of unauthorised bus lane use is from evidence supplied by cameras on buses. It would be rare for a bus to get close enough to a motor bike.
Taxis and bus lanes - Toad, of Toad Hall.
"Another current debate is use by motorcyclists"
In my experience, mainly in London, motorcyclists always use the bus
lanes as well as break just about every other regulation in
the book.


- Would you *really* rather all bikers were in cars causing even more traffic?

>>It would
be rare for a bus to get close enough to a
motor bike.


- So if bikes aren't impeding buses what's the problem?

You're making a perfect case for bikes to use bus lanes.

I tend to ride in London at times that the bus lanes aren't active. Much better than filtering.

If *everyone* in London had a bike there would be no traffic.

--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
Taxis and bus lanes - Cardew
ToTH
"So if bikes aren't impeding buses what's the problem?

You're making a perfect case for bikes to use bus lanes."


Did I say there was a problem or they shouldn't use bus lanes?

I just made the point that motorcyclists ignore that particular regulation as well as all the others they decide shouldn't apply to themselves.

You mustn't get so paranoid - just accept that we are watching you very very carefully!!

C
Taxis and bus lanes - CM
Bikes can now use (legally) the M4 bus lane.
Taxis and bus lanes - jeds
Good point. The only thing I can think of against is that if taxis are forced to sit in traffic it would give them a perfect excuse to charge even more than the extortionate rates they already do charge.
Taxis and bus lanes - Ben79
True about the charging, I think motorbikes should be allowed to use bus lanes although I wouldn;t drive one.

I thought the congestion charging was all about pollution, the new company car tax is about pollution and road fund licence costs were about pollution, now tell me that a 5 year old 150,000 mile plus car is good.

Ben
Taxis and bus lanes - Baskerville
The pollution caused in manufacturing your five year-old car still outweighs the pollution it has produced at the tailpipe. If everyone bought a brand new car today, and all the others were scrapped, pollution levels would rise significantly. Only when the new, lower emissions cars have aged will pollution levels drop, and then only if they are kept on running for a decade or so. Swapping cars every few years is about the worst thing to do from a pollution point of view. So my twelve year-old BX is relatively mucky at the tailpipe by today's standards (50mpg notwithstanding), but by soldiering on magnificently I guess it's actually keeping overall pollution levels down because it means I don't have to buy a new car.

Chris
Taxis and bus lanes - BrianW
There is absolutely no reason for taxis to be allowed to use bus lanes.
They are chauffeur-driven private cars, no more, no less.
Mainly used by people with expense accounts (like civil servants and politicians).

I agree that motorbikes should be able to use bus lanes. The aim (theoretically) of a bus lane is to allow buses to move more freely than general traffic. There is little chance of a motorbike holding up a bus as the bike can easily get out of the way.
Taxis and bus lanes - Cliff Pope
There is absolutely no reason for taxis to be allowed to
use bus lanes.
They are chauffeur-driven private cars, no more, no less.


Anybody can hail a taxi, the same as anybody can hail a bus. Therefore they are public transport.

I can't afford public transport, so I use a car
Taxis and bus lanes - BrianW
"Anybody can hail a taxi, the same as anybody can hail a bus. Therefore they are public transport."

By the same logic:
Anyone can hire a chauffeur-driven car, therefore they are public transport.
But THEY can't use bus lanes.
Taxis and bus lanes - Cliff Pope
"Anybody can hail a taxi, the same as anybody can hail
a bus. Therefore they are public transport."
By the same logic:
Anyone can hire a chauffeur-driven car, therefore they are public transport.
But THEY can't use bus lanes.

I said 'hail', not 'hire'. Hail means stand by the side of the road, either at a designated stop or taxi rank, or elsewhere, and wave to a bus or taxi to cause it to stop and pick you up.
Taxis and bus lanes - BrianW
But the essential difference is that a taxi or hire car will pick you up wherever you want and take you directly to your destination.
A bus will pick you up where it wants and take you to wherever it's going.
With the taxi/hire car you have control over the route and timing. With a bus you accept what you are given, that's why it's "public" rather than Private.
Taxis and bus lanes - bogush
Also, a member of the public can't hail "your" private taxi further down the road and jump in beside you.
Taxis and bus lanes - Toad, of Toad Hall.
Also, a member of the public can't hail "your" private taxi
further down the road and jump in beside you.


Brilliant BOgush! Only empty taxis should be allowed in Bus lanes! [1]



[1] ...and yes, I've spottted the flaw in the logic too.



--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
Taxis and bus lanes - bogush
But just like a bus, and unlike your car, it will drive away empty.
Taxis and bus lanes - Cliff Pope
and there's never one when you want one, and then 3 come.

Actually I think the difference is a bit blurred, and is likely to become more so as more flexible options in public transport become common. On many routes now buses pick up and set down wherever you want. There are small minibuses in country areas that are not so much tied to specific routes. And some form of taxi-sharing has been suggested as a way of reducing traffic.
So one possible line of development in cities would be small vehicles that are something of a cross between a taxi and a bus.

There is a strict difference between a proper taxi and a minicab - a taxi can ply for hire and pick up any member of the public on being hailed. A minicab is not supposed to. The first is public transport, the second not.
Taxis and bus lanes - Toad, of Toad Hall.
There is a strict difference between a proper taxi and a
minicab - a taxi can ply for hire and pick up
any member of the public on being hailed. A minicab is
not supposed to. The first is public transport, the second not.


Then there are those fantasic guys in Leicester Square in the middle of the night.

Wouldn't recomend it for a lone Female but I once did Central London (near Tiger, Tiger) - Caterham - Horley at about 3am for 25 quid. 5 quid each.

The guy tripped about 5 speed cameras on the way out. I asked what his day job was.

'I work in a garage' he replied.

I reckon someone got their car back 'serviced' good and propper.

--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
Taxis and bus lanes - Toad, of Toad Hall.
Then there was the time that three of us were haggling while a fourth wen't to get a burger. We haggled down to 25 quid before bloke no 4 comes back. (In the Army - slightly pompous.) 'I'll handle this', he says 'Take us to Redhill and 30 quid is our upper limit, get in everyone.'

So we did.

--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
Taxis and bus lanes - Bromptonaut
There is absolutely no reason for taxis to be allowed to
use bus lanes.
They are chauffeur-driven private cars, no more, no less.
Mainly used by people with expense accounts (like civil servants and
politicians).


The ride, driving standard and company tend to make me think more of door to door buses then chauffer driven cars. And you have to be a damn senior civil servant before taking a taxi doesn't need an essay in justification!!
Taxis and bus lanes - PB
The scandal is allowing Taxis to use the M4 bus lane. There are buses, tubes and even a high speed train to get passengers from Heathrow into London.
BUT, you can take a black cab and get your own privileged lane down the M4. This is encouraging more traffic, not less. What's worse, because the cab drivers are so keen on getting the juicy London fares, they have somehow persuaded the authorities to make it legal for them to charge absurd amounts to deter local trips. So it costs £44 for a black cab from Heathrow to Windsor (a GOOD minicab is £8 there/£15 back).
Taxis and bus lanes - Dynamic Dave
The scandal is allowing Taxis to use the M4 bus lane.


So would you prefer them stuck in the same lane as yourself and adding to the traffic queue then?
Taxis and bus lanes - Marcus
DDave,
Do you know the M4 Bus lane into London? It is 2 lanes plus the Bus lane - the 3 lanes merge into 2 at the Chiswick flyover.

The buses and taxis using the bus lane overtake the queue and 'push in' further ahead at the point the 3 lanes merge into 2 lanes, thus 'adding to the traffic queue' as you put it.

Put it this way, every taxi & empty mini bus etc that passes you using the bus lane pushes you one place back down the traffic queue.

Marcus
Taxis and bus lanes - Dynamic Dave
DDave,
Do you know the M4 Bus lane into London? It is
2 lanes plus the Bus lane - the 3 lanes merge
into 2 at the Chiswick flyover.


I must confess the last time I travelled along it was on a bus amd wasn't really paying much attention to the road ahead as I was playing Snake on the Nokia.
The buses and taxis using the bus lane overtake the queue
and 'push in' further ahead at the point the 3 lanes
merge into 2 lanes, thus 'adding to the traffic queue' as
you put it.


I'll get me coat :o)
Taxis and bus lanes - Marcus
"I'll get me coat :o)"

May I help you put it on?
Taxis and bus lanes - Ben79
So taxis shouldn't be allowed on bus lanes, whether hackney carriages or private hire?

My reckoning is that my car costs me 30p a mile to run, a journey to London costs me £40 in petrol (from yorkshire), and a journey that costs me £3 in my car (10 miles) costs £14.30 in a taxi. (£1.30 x 10 +1.30 pickup).

Therefore, a taxi must be a chauffered car.



Ben