CAR SHARE COMES TO BRUM....BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BUS LANE

25-10-2007

The introduction of Birmingham's first car share lane is to be welcomed.... but the city's commitment to getting people out of their motors altogether is open to question. When, for example, is the A38 Tyburn Road bus priority lane going to be re-introduced?

During the summer of 2004, restrictions were "temporarily" lifted on cars using the bus lane, to help ease congestion during summer roadworks on the M6.

Once the motorway had been patched up it was assumed that that old rules would once again be enforced and that cars would be banned - but the City Council then announced that the suspension would countinue.

That led 2000 disgruntled passengers on the Number 67 bus route to petition the local authority in April 2005. They complained that although they were doing what the Council said it wanted them to do - ie using public transport - their journeys were now taking longer than before.

Despite that, cars can still use the bus priority route today - more than three years after they were allowed to do so as a "temporary" measure.

Chris Crean of West Midlands Friends of the Earth accused the Council of "dithering" over a decision to re-introduce it.

He was more welcoming of the news to that a car-sharing lane will be trialled for 12 months during the morning rush-hour on the A47 between Spitfire Island and Ashted Circus.

But he warned, "the key issue here is enforcement. We have to make sure it's not just an excuse to send sales of blow-up dolls and shop mannequins through the roof."

Those who ignore the car share rules and don't carry at least one passengers in the designated lane will risk a £60 fine when the scheme comes into force on November 19th.

The City's Cabinet Member for Transportation Len Gregory said the scheme, "should provide quicker and more reliable journey times for car sharers. It will also help to reduce traffic congestion and have a beneficial environmental impact due to the reduction in air and noise pollution.

"We will carefully monitor the scheme and collate information relating to journey times and safety so that we can measure the benefits or otherwise of the pilot, which if successful, could lead to more Car Share lanes in other parts of the city."