Moving into a bus lane

[Wollemi]

When is it acceptable to move into a bus lane?

Is it acceptable / allowed to move into a bus lane to go around a vehicle stationary because it is waiting to turn right?

Or are you meant to draw up behind the vehicle waiting to turn right, wait wait until it has made its turn?

[untakenname]

Meant to wait rather than go around, I was caught out by this a few years back and had a fine for entering the bus lane with two wheels to go round a car turning right.

Luckily the council had put a flower basket over one of the signs so I got off on a technicality.

[Mandat]

Below are two flowcharts from TfL, that I used when challenging a bus lane PCN in London a few years ago.

The potential offence test list out various criteria to determine if an offence is deemed to have occurred, and the minor infringement test gives criteria for whether or not to issue a PCN.

This is TfL's guidance, so I don't know if other parts of the country follow the same process.

[courty]

Wollemi said:

When is it acceptable to move into a bus lane?

Is it acceptable / allowed to move into a bus lane to go around a vehicle stationary because it is waiting to turn right?

Or are you meant to draw up behind the vehicle waiting to turn right, wait wait until it has made its turn?

Normally a bus lane is separated from the carriageway by a solid white line, which acts in a similar way to a solid line prohibiting vehicles from crossing the carriageway. However, if the bus lane is not in use, it is unclear as to whether it is permissable to cross the line in and out of the bus lane, or whether it is only permissable to enter/exit the lane where not solid line is marked. I would err on the side of caution and only enter a bus lane (except when taking emergancy evasive action etc., if; 1, It is not in use, and 2, without crossing a solid white line.

[col711]

If the bus lane operates all the time, then you must not enter it or you may incur a fine. However, some bus lanes operate within specific times: there will be a sign before the start of the bus lane stating the times that it is operational. Outside of these times it is permissible to enter the bus lane and to park if parking regulations allow.

[inquisitor987]

Does this hold true if you are moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle responding to a call?

[LukeBrown66]

Some a story about a bloke who loved into a bus lane to move over for an ambulanceman recently, got a fine, apparently he did stay in it for a few yards before moving back, but does seem a little harsh!

[Pica-Pica]

LukeBrown66 said:

Some a story about a bloke who loved into a bus lane to move over for an ambulanceman recently, got a fine, apparently he did stay in it for a few yards before moving back, but does seem a little harsh!

Same as moving forward through a red light to let them through. The emergency services won’t pay for, nor get your fine rescinded.