Why does the Council feel the need to enforce bus lanes on Xmas Day?

[mafya 250]

What like when they put them on Southey hill and on Longley Ave west

 

---------- Post added 26-12-2017 at 15:55 ----------

 

Bus lanes are not there to simply "avoid" at all times. I refer you to the Councils interpretation or reasoning for what the purpose of a bus/tram, lane/gates is... ie "To keep the city moving" and "allowing buses or trams to move more freely." It is the only day that there is NO public transport in the city. So, what are they actually "keeping moving"?

 

To keep traffic moving??? Lol

Is that why they took out a roundabout and put in traffic lights at Leppings Lane it's more snarled up now with STANDING traffic and spewing out more fumes etc 24hrs a day than its ever been good move Sheffield Council oh! And that's including Buses too

 

Longley avenue west bus only bit is now open to all vehicles, I noticed this the other night...

[ormester 11]

to make money

[Guest busdriver1]

Surely Christmas day must be one of the easiest days of the year to avoid using a bus lane due to very low traffic levels or am I missing something?

[cgksheff 44]

I wonder if there really was any Sheffield bus lane enforcement, on this Christmas Day?

 

If any of you get a ticket in the post, please let us know.

Edited December 27, 2017 by cgksheff

[MobileB 10]

 

Bus lanes stop well before junctions and all traffic can use all lanes at the junction. Overall network capacity is largely unaffected by bus lanes. They just help the buses to arrive a bit higher up any queues.

 

 

What an absolute load of tosh, Planner. Bus Lane on Abbeydale Road and junction of Woodseats Road. Junction at the end of Ecclesall Road with the camera on it that takes a fortune in fines. Bus Lane that runs past the Tesco garage on Abbeydale Road. And there are loads more that just cause traffic to stack back unnecessary because they end too close to the junction.

 

I have said before the one at the end of Ecclesall Road just causes carnage with buses moving from left lane to right and cars going the other way. That one is certainly no more than a money grabber.

 

All that happens is people lose respect for their purpose and this thread shows just that.

[Cyclone 10]

I think he was being specific, those would be bus gates presumably, not bus lanes.

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2017 at 09:25 ----------

 

Evidence I have seen of market research here and elsewhere indicates strong public support for bus lane enforcement. Personally I see no valid reason why they would not enforce.

 

Strong support for enforcement ON XMAS DAY, when there are NO buses running?

 

Most of this thread has been at cross purposes.

The question is why ARE they enforced on a day when the buses literally aren't running.

The answers have all been about why they CAN be enforced, legally, not why they ARE being enforced on that specific day.

[Planner1 438]

What an absolute load of tosh, Planner. Bus Lane on Abbeydale Road and junction of Woodseats Road. Junction at the end of Ecclesall Road with the camera on it that takes a fortune in fines. Bus Lane that runs past the Tesco garage on Abbeydale Road. And there are loads more that just cause traffic to stack back unnecessary because they end too close to the junction.

 

I have said before the one at the end of Ecclesall Road just causes carnage with buses moving from left lane to right and cars going the other way. That one is certainly no more than a money grabber.

 

All that happens is people lose respect for their purpose and this thread shows just that.

 

I can tell you for an absolute fact that no bus lane / gate enforcement cameras in Sheffield are put there to raise money.

 

They are put in places where bus operators say there is a problem with compliance, which is delaying public transport.

 

Camera enforcement expressly to raise money is unlawful.

 

If the bus lane stops before the junction and all traffic can use all lanes, how does it cause traffic congestion? How quickly traffic can flow over the stop line at the junction is what determines junction capacity and whether there will be a queue.

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2017 at 10:14 ----------

 

Strong support for enforcement ON XMAS DAY, when there are NO buses running?

 

Most of this thread has been at cross purposes.

The question is why ARE they enforced on a day when the buses literally aren't running.

The answers have all been about why they CAN be enforced, legally, not why they ARE being enforced on that specific day.

 

That is not true. I have covered why they are enforced.

 

As I've explained on here at length, not all bus gates are in place solely to promote public transport, some are also there for traffic management and safety reasons. Those reasons do not change because it's Christmas.

 

In my view, drivers need to receive a consistent message. We have seen on here how easily "confused" some appear to be.

 

How could a consistent message be given if, for example, drivers didn't get a fine for contravening a bus lane on Xmas Day, but did for contravening a bus gate?

 

Sheffield are not alone in maintaining this stance. The stats that the OP quotes for percentages of authorities which do enforce penalties on Xmas day may be misleading if they do not take account of the fact that many authorities may only have bus lanes, which they can choose not to enforce on Xmas day without detriment to safety. The same cannot be said here.

[RollingJ 2,042]

As a non-driving public transport/leg using person, I wasn't going to join this discussion, but as Planner1 seems obsessed with 'rules' and other posters seem obsessed with 'rights' here's my two pennorth. Planner1 - I understand what you say about regulations, they cannot be designed for every eventuality, BUTsurely as others have said, when public transport is not running, what is the point of enforcing them, other than as cash-generators? Please don't start about 'but what about traffic-lights,roundabouts &c?' - logic dictates that they need to be observed at all times, but a bus-lane when no busses are on the road?

 

Other posters - From my observations on Monday, there was no need to use the bus lanes, the roads were almost empty.

 

So, in conclusion, IMHO, you were both wrong and both right, but on balance I think bus-lane contravention on Xmas Day should be tolerated.

[Cyclone 10]

 

That is not true. I have covered why they are enforced.

Which post do you think explained why?

 

As I've explained on here at length, not all bus gates are in place solely to promote public transport, some are also there for traffic management and safety reasons. Those reasons do not change because it's Christmas.

 

In my view, drivers need to receive a consistent message. We have seen on here how easily "confused" some appear to be.

 

How could a consistent message be given if, for example, drivers didn't get a fine for contravening a bus lane on Xmas Day, but did for contravening a bus gate?

 

Sheffield are not alone in maintaining this stance. The stats that the OP quotes for percentages of authorities which do enforce penalties on Xmas day may be misleading if they do not take account of the fact that many authorities may only have bus lanes, which they can choose not to enforce on Xmas day without detriment to safety. The same cannot be said here.

 

Are you contending that a message such as "Sunday rules will apply to bus lanes and gates on Xmas day" could be confusing?

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2017 at 10:32 ----------

 

 

Other posters - From my observations on Monday, there was no need to use the bus lanes, the roads were almost empty.

 

Quite true, I went to my parents and back on Monday and the traffic was very light. There was no reason to use a bus lane at all.

[onewheeldave 22]

 

They [bus lanes] are put in places where bus operators say there is a problem with compliance, which is delaying public transport.

 

 

 

As I've explained on here at length, not all bus gates are in place solely to promote public transport, some are also there for traffic management and safety reasons. Those reasons do not change because it's Christmas.

 

 

These 2 seem to be contradictory.

[Planner1 438]

Which post do you think explained why?

 

Perhaps if you read them you'd know.

 

Posts: 4, 21, 23, 47 all state that some of the restrictions are in place for traffic management reasons.

 

Are you now going to try to contend that traffic management related restrictions, like one-way, no entry, banned turns etc shouldn't apply on Xmas day?

[RollingJ 2,042]

Perhaps if you read them you'd know.

 

Posts: 4, 21, 23, 47 all state that some of the restrictions are in place for traffic management reasons.

 

Are you now going to try to contend that traffic management related restrictions, like one-way, no entry, banned turns etc shouldn't apply on Xmas day?

 

Planner1 - see post#44

Yes I know I'm not Cyclone but.....................