Taxis in bus / cycle lanes.

PedalPedant

I recently noticed that the bus lanes near where I work are marked for use by buses (obviously), bikes and taxis.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&q=braunstone&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Braunstone,+Leicester,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&ei=YnlgTPD8M42oOITL5b8P&ved=0CBkQ8gEwAA&ll=52.631376,-1.184952&spn=0.001589,0.003449&z=18&layer=c&cbll=52.631373,-1.185176&panoid=TNmXFGWWawMFFzGUbxRTTw&cbp=12,240.5,,2,7.45

Does anyone know why taxis are included? They're just cars aren't they? (rather aggresively driven cars in my experience)

I was going to post this in the rant thread but it struck me that there may be some good reason that hasn't occured to me.

PP

Aidy

I'd assume because they're a form of public transport - and that obviously one taxi congests less than if every passenger who used it brought their own car in.

I was vaguely under the impression that they were only supposed to use the bus lanes if they had a passenger, or were on the way to pick up a passenger. I could have made that up, though.

PedalPedant

Aidy wrote:

I'd assume because they're a form of public transport - and that obviously one taxi congests less than if every passenger who used it brought their own car in.

I'm not sure I follow that logic (although it is quite late and brain may not be working properly ). I can see this would reduce the need for parking spaces but surely the taxi travelling between pickups is actually adding to congestion. No one shares a taxi unless they're travelling together do they?

I was vaguely under the impression that they were only supposed to use the bus lanes if they had a passenger, or were on the way to pick up a passenger. I could have made that up, though.

This makes sense, very difficult to enforce though, more of a code of conduct kind of thing I guess.

PP

Aidy

PedalPedant wrote:

I'm not sure I follow that logic (although it is quite late and brain may not be working properly ). I can see this would reduce the need for parking spaces but surely the taxi travelling between pickups is actually adding to congestion. No one shares a taxi unless they're travelling together do they?

If I'll need a car at some stage during the day, then I have to drive in in the morning.
If lots of people need to, then lots of people need to drive in at some stage during the day.

Taxis kinda reduce this influx of cars.

PedalPedant

Aidy wrote:

If I'll need a car at some stage during the day, then I have to drive in in the morning.
If lots of people need to, then lots of people need to drive in at some stage during the day.

Taxis kinda reduce this influx of cars.

Ahhhh I see what you mean now, that makes sense. Thanks, I can stop being annoyed about it

PP

rml380z

So, by this logic, pre-booked mini-cabs should be allowed in bus lanes, too?

Also, if two people are car-sharing, should their car also be allowed in the bus lanes?

What about small cars (like smart cars), because they take up less space (and so cause less congestion) than big cars?*



* I'm being deliberately obtuse with this one!

BSRU

Taxi's and private hire vehicles are allowed in bus lanes where I live and every time I see one in a bus lane it is always passengerless.

Headhuunter

I've often wondered this. I think that taxis should be out of bus lanes and people who car share, so cars with 2+ people in them should be allowed in. The number of cars I see crawling through gridlocked London with a single occupant and up to 7 spare seats is ridiculous.

zanes

rml380z wrote:

So, by this logic, pre-booked mini-cabs should be allowed in bus lanes, too?

Also, if two people are car-sharing, should their car also be allowed in the bus lanes?

What about small cars (like smart cars), because they take up less space (and so cause less congestion) than big cars?*



* I'm being deliberately obtuse with this one!

I think the point Aidy is making is that an average taxi is one vehicle used by lots of people during the day as opposed to all those people bringing one vehicle each into the city in the morning ready for them to make one trip.

rml380z

zanes wrote:

I think the point Aidy is making is that an average taxi is one vehicle used by lots of people during the day as opposed to all those people bringing one vehicle each into the city in the morning ready for them to make one trip.

But the taxi is clogging up the roads all day, sometimes with passengers but for much of the time with none, whereas if each person brought in one vehicle, then they would only drive them for the one trip each, and wouldn't be on the road for the whole day.

zanes

rml380z wrote:

But the taxi is clogging up the roads all day, sometimes with passengers but for much of the time with none, whereas if each person brought in one vehicle, then they would only drive them for the one trip each, and wouldn't be on the road for the whole day.

Because cars just disappear when they're not in use?

rml380z

zanes wrote:

rml380z wrote:

But the taxi is clogging up the roads all day, sometimes with passengers but for much of the time with none, whereas if each person brought in one vehicle, then they would only drive them for the one trip each, and wouldn't be on the road for the whole day.

Because cars just disappear when they're not in use?

I often wonder whether it's worth keeping the car I have, as it's mainly parked out on the street and not being used. And now you're telling me even when parked it's still causing congestion?

Or are you saying that when I'm not looking my car drives around on it's own causing traffic jams?

zanes

rml380z wrote:

zanes wrote:

rml380z wrote:

But the taxi is clogging up the roads all day, sometimes with passengers but for much of the time with none, whereas if each person brought in one vehicle, then they would only drive them for the one trip each, and wouldn't be on the road for the whole day.

Because cars just disappear when they're not in use?

I often wonder whether it's worth keeping the car I have, as it's mainly parked out on the street and not being used. And now you're telling me even when parked it's still causing congestion?

Or are you saying that when I'm not looking my car drives around on it's own causing traffic jams?

Spot the fail.

the_hundredth_idiot

Taxis are allowed in bus lanes for the same reason they are exempt from the congestion charge.

rml380z

zanes wrote:

rml380z wrote:

zanes wrote:

rml380z wrote:

But the taxi is clogging up the roads all day, sometimes with passengers but for much of the time with none, whereas if each person brought in one vehicle, then they would only drive them for the one trip each, and wouldn't be on the road for the whole day.

Because cars just disappear when they're not in use?

I often wonder whether it's worth keeping the car I have, as it's mainly parked out on the street and not being used. And now you're telling me even when parked it's still causing congestion?

Or are you saying that when I'm not looking my car drives around on it's own causing traffic jams?

Spot the fail.

No parking on urban clearways and red routes; congestion during the rush hour. No parking on main roads in town; congestion during rush hour. No parking on motorways; congestion at any time. No parking on urban dual-carriageways; congestion during rush hour.

Virtually all cars parked up at three in the morning; no congestion on the roads. Two lanes of parked cars in the street outside my house; no congestion.

Sorry, I genuinely don't see the fail; can you explain what I'm missing, please?

mapleflot

Just as an excuse to rant (both as a cyclist and driver):
in Oxford taxis are allowed to `use' the bus lanes...unfortunately they interpret this right as `ok to use to overtake (i.e. undertake) cars that are already at or above the speed limit'. Woe betide any cyclist that impedes this. And now that the speed cameras are turned off, they don't even have to make the customary location slow-downs.

The Chingford Skinhead

There was a big feature in the Guardian bike blog about taxis in June prompted by seriel blogger Freewheeler in Crap Walking and Cycling in Wlatham Forest. The question being, why taxis get so many privelges when they carry so few passengers - and why they were distinct from private hire vehicles.

The Freewheeler post is: http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com/2010/06/black-cab-drivers-and-critical-mass.html

The Guardian article - plus argument is at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/09/travel-and-transport-transport