A debate has arisen over weather the Lord mayor of Sheffield should be allowed to have his civic car driven through bus lanes with exemption from the resulting fines.

Two former Lord mayors support this, but council leader Jan Wilson is against it and another councillor reckons he should use public transport and set an example.

So what do we all think?

I say he should use the buses and trams like everyone else.

I can see no reason at all why he should be allowed to use the bus lanes, and if he is it really makes a farce of the whole thing. I agree that the best thing he could do is use public transport, and support that.

I still can't believe that people would be so arrogant as to think they should have special treatment like that.

Does Mike Pye use this forum, because otherwise i'll mystified as to why someone would vote yes?!? :D

the Lord Mayor (whoever s/he happens to be at any one time) is the elected First Citizen representing all of Sheffield (i.e. us) at official and state occasions.

Also the Lord Mayor attends many functions in a day - visiting our fellow citizens who are celebrating 100th birthdays, diamond weddings, attending openings of school fairs and many other community affairs.

IMO s/he should be enabled to reduce the city's fuel bill by saving petrol, cut pollution and not keep people waiting by being able to use bus lanes at busy times. After all people just going about their own affairs in taxis are allowed to use the bus lanes, why should our elected representatve be denied the same privilege?

i know that the current lord mayor doesn't drive, and therefore DOES use public transport regularly. i believe the 'official car' is for official engagements.

Yes the Civic car is used for official purposes, but where would this stop if he were allowed to do this? Would it move to councillors who are on official pr duties and so on?

He most certainly should not use the bus lane.

Unless there's a red ribbon cutting emergency, or a baby's head in urgent need of kissing...

yes, we should all be able to use the bus lanes, I know I do

I can't see how ANY appointment attended by the Lord Mayor can be deemed as important enough to warrant his using the bus lanes to get there.

If he has to spend a few panicky hours in traffic each week - like the rest of us - then maybe the council will catch on to what's wrong.

There must be a thousand other road users out there with much more urgent journeys to make than his trip to open some new office or get his photo taken holding a goat at Heeley City Farm!!

Here's a suggestion for him,.............SET OFF EARLIER, OR CATCH A BUS.:mad:

no let him wait in traffic jams like everyone else has to we all have to suffer so why not let suffer

Originally posted by markham
I can't see how ANY appointment attended by the Lord Mayor can be deemed as important enough to warrant his using the bus lanes to get there.

If he has to spend a few panicky hours in traffic each week - like the rest of us - then maybe the council will catch on to what's wrong.

There must be a thousand other road users out there with much more urgent journeys to make than his trip to open some new office or get his photo taken holding a goat at Heeley City Farm!!

Here's a suggestion for him,.............SET OFF EARLIER, OR CATCH A BUS.:mad:

My view exactly...
In tonight's Star someone suggests the Mayor has important appointments to keep. Haven't we all, but it's the Mayor's mad mates at the town hall that prevent us getting there. Let him have some of his own medicine. Stay out of your prescious bus lane. Set off earlier to go and pat that goat!

He may learn where the daft road engineers are spoiling the town. I hope his limo hits one of the dangerous stupid sticky out kerbs they've just thought up.

I think they Mayor should be able to drive wherever he wants. I don't think he's a Lord Mayor though, is he?

Originally posted by Andy
I think they Mayor should be able to drive wherever he wants. I don't think he's a Lord Mayor though, is he?

Yeah he is, Sheffield doesn't have a Mayor does it? Although it could be a good idea to have one.

I don't believe he has any appointment that important, and he can always plan them better to allow time to travel. If he is really running that late how about getting the council to do something about the traffic?

Originally posted by Andy
I don't think he's a Lord Mayor though, is he?

It appears he is.
"On the 1st August 1974, following the 1972 Act, our Local Government was re-organised and Sheffield became a Metropolitan District and the Chairman of the Council was granted the use of the style "Lord Mayor"."

Tazz

Originally posted by rubydazzler
IMO s/he should be enabled to reduce the city's fuel bill by saving petrol, cut pollution and not keep people waiting by being able to use bus lanes at busy times. After all people just going about their own affairs in taxis are allowed to use the bus lanes, why should our elected representatve be denied the same privilege?

Sorry ruby, but.......

a. Give him/her a smaller, more economical car.

b. He/she does have the same privilege - if they go by taxi or bus.

Originally posted by rubydazzler
After all people just going about their own affairs in taxis are allowed to use the bus lanes, why should our elected representatve be denied the same privilege?


'Cause taxis are available to everyone, regardless of position.

Also, I wasn't aware we elected a Mayor for Sheffield, I thought he/she/it was appointed by our Glorious COuNcil??

I have it on good authority that this whole story is based on a throw away line at a public meeting, which The Stir picked up on, about roads having to be widened to accommodate our mayor, the pie-man. Now we have it that he's going to be allowed to use bus lanes.

Deep breath, bread on waters, soggy bread.

Originally posted by rubydazzler
the Lord Mayor (whoever s/he happens to be at any one time) is the elected First Citizen representing all of Sheffield (i.e. us) at official and state occasions.

Also the Lord Mayor attends many functions in a day - visiting our fellow citizens who are celebrating 100th birthdays, diamond weddings, attending openings of school fairs and many other community affairs.

IMO s/he should be enabled to reduce the city's fuel bill by saving petrol, cut pollution and not keep people waiting by being able to use bus lanes at busy times. After all people just going about their own affairs in taxis are allowed to use the bus lanes, why should our elected representatve be denied the same privilege?

If he uses taxi's then he will be entitled to use them. Otherwise he will have to use the rest of the road like the rest of us who have far more important things to do than opening schools.



Just out of interest Max - is Mike Pye a republican or a royalist?

Yes let the Lord Mayor Drive in Bus lanes as everybody else does,and whilst their at it let them park in the Bus Stops as well.

Originally posted by rubydazzler


Also the Lord Mayor attends many functions in a day - visiting our fellow citizens who are celebrating 100th birthdays, diamond weddings, attending openings of school fairs and many other community affairs.



I think its unfair that we pay for the mayor to have a car to use the bus lanes in.

I bet he/she dosn't pay for all the sausage roll and vol o vents that they get at all these 100 birthdays and diamond weddings.

So I say , If we are paying for their snap we should n't pay for their car as well.

Come on greedy councilers, one or the other !!!

I think the Lord Mayor should be able to drive in the bus lanes, everyone else does.

Originally posted by sccsux
Also, I wasn't aware we elected a Mayor for Sheffield, I thought he/she/it was appointed by our Glorious COuNcil??
The Lord Mayor is elected, first they are elected as a councillor, and then they are elected from available councillors by the council themselves (ie our elected representatives). IIRC.

So yes they are elected, albeit not directly by all of us like Doncasters Mayor (but then, they have a different system).

Oh, and on the original question, no I don't think they should be allowed to use the bus lanes, and I don't think taxis should either.

Of course he should if he is a bus driver. If not then no.

Does the Lord Mayor realy go to peoples 100th birthday ?

maybe it perk of job?

yes i believe it should be allowed, everyone else in a big car seems to be allowed to so why not the sheffield mayor

NO! Typicle of the Us and Them mentality. Same about councillors' free parking and various other perks. Infact, if I see the Lord Mayor's car coming along my nearside while I wait in traffic I'll pull into it. We all have schedules to keep and we all have to suffer due to the sheer incompetence of the council's planning department.

One good idea however is to let any car carrying three or more passengers to be allowed to use the bus lane at all times. If that car includes our Lord Mayor, great. If not: tough!

Originally posted by leddi
yes i believe it should be allowed, everyone else in a big car seems to be allowed to so why not the sheffield mayor

Big car drivers using the bus lane? I'm not aware of this, but I see every day motorists NOT using lanes when it is stated clearly not only that they can but (as a look in any Highway Code will inform) should.

If I were to stand at the bottom of Mushroom Lane looking up Crookes Valley Road toward Walkley, on a Saturday morning when there are absolutely no cars parked, and count the number of drivers for some strange reason using the outside city-bound lane, and have the permission to ban them there and then from using the roads, there'd be an 80 per cent reduction in traffic. Honestly, I reckon as many as 8 out of ten don't use the bus lane when it is not in operation.

Maybe it's the big car drivers who actually understand when to and not to use the bus lanes?

Originally posted by Ousetunes

One good idea however is to let any car carrying three or more passengers to be allowed to use the bus lane at all times. If that car includes our Lord Mayor, great. If not: tough!
they tried that in leeds at busy times - it didnt work. good idea though

If the city council bought and licensed a taxi for official purposes it would save the time/fuel/pollution etc by being able to use the bus lanes would it not ?
So the solution is everyone buy a taxi cab and drive them round.

Originally posted by playman
So the solution is everyone buy a taxi cab and drive them round.

Good idea - I notice Prince Philip does exactly that. He has a black cab which he drives around London - bus lanes, the lot.

It's only during the morning and evening rush hour that you're not allowed to drive in (most) bus lanes.

Simply make these ribbon cutting events after 9:30am and before 4pm and there's no problem... he'll get to those centurion birthday parties before they become wakes.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
and we all have to suffer due to the sheer incompetence of the council's planning department.
I'm not sure that's fair, policies are set by elected members, they are merely implemented by planners.

If you don't like the policy, vote accordingly, then the planners will have to do something different.

I'm not sure which party is behind the motorist though, the current mob aren't, the LibDems certainly weren't when they were in, and god save us all if the Greens get in.

Well it appears that the Council obviously have their own rules as is so often the case.

Yesterday, walking through town, there it was... the Mayoral Rover, resplendant with the Sheffield coat of arms... sitting on the loading bay in front of the town hall, awaiting its next duty, driverless.

I suppose that we should give it the benefit of the doubt as to whether it passed through the bus gate to get there, but I wonder how long it would take any of us to receive a parking ticket in that precious spot whilst nipping into the Town Hall?

Originally posted by Tony
Well it appears that the Council obviously have their own rules as is so often the case.

Yesterday, walking through town, there it was... the Mayoral Rover, resplendant with the Sheffield coat of arms... sitting on the loading bay in front of the town hall, awaiting its next duty, driverless.

I suppose that we should give it the benefit of the doubt as to whether it passed through the bus gate to get there, but I wonder how long it would take any of us to receive a parking ticket in that precious spot whilst nipping into the Town Hall?

Don't need to go through the bus gate, simply turn left from Surrey Street.

In answer to your question, I was once parked there for 4 hours while handing out leaflets and balloons so perhaps it's a party political thing. :D

To have to use public transport would be a non goer AFAIC, he/she would probably be narped for the gold chain.

Far better that the civic car should have to sit in the jams like the rest of we mere mortals, inhaling all those wonderful noxious fumes and arriving at ones destination with sky high blood pressure.