A TRIAL suspension of bus lanes in the city is beginning today (January 16).
From this morning, a number of bus lanes across Coventry will be suspended as part of a nine-month trial to improve traffic flow.
Yellow and black signs will be put up to inform motorists which bus lanes are suspended.
Bus lanes that do not have a black and yellow sign near them have not been suspended and are still being used as bus lanes.
Leader of the Council and bus user, Coun George Duggins, said: “We want to make it really clear for motorists which bus lanes they can use, so the signs will be up at those bus lanes that have been suspended so that motorists know that they can drive down it.
“As a bus user myself I’m confident that we will see improvements for all road users in the locations where we remove bus lanes.”
The works to the lines and signs along the routes that are being suspended in this first phase will be complete by the end of February.
The bus lanes will be suspended under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, with officers reporting their findings back to the council after six months.
Coun Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, added: “We know motorists are frustrated when they sit in a queue with an empty lane next to them so we are hoping this trial will show improvements to traffic flow.
“Of course we want buses to run to time too so we will monitor carefully over the next six months.
“We have other work to do, like removing some of the road markings, that’s why this is a phased approach. But I hope we see positive results right from the start.”
The bus lanes that will be suspended are:
- Ansty Road – outbound at Clifford Bridge Road junction
- Ansty Roadd – inbound at Burns Road
- Binley Road – outbound, full length
- Foleshill Road – at Old Church Road in both directions
- Holbrook Lane – outbound between Burnaby Road and Holbrook Lane
- London Road – outbound at St James Lane
- Tile Hill gyratory – on Tile Hill Lane inbound between Beech Tree Ave and the rugby club entrance. After the rugby club entrance there is a bus gate and no access for cars.
- Tile Hill gyratory – outbound between Renown Ave and Vanguard Ave and on going between Vangaurd and the left turn toward London on the A45. Note the right turn bus lane towards Birmingham remains in operation.
