Prescott’s Folly M4 Bus Lane to be Suspended
The M4 Bus Lane runs eastbound towards London for 3.5 miles between junctions 3 and 2 of the three lane section of motorway. At present it may be used only by licensed black taxis, motorcycles and buses.
However the lane will temporarily be suspended by way of Experimental Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, after latest analysis showed that journey times at peak periods would be reduced for car drivers and hauliers without significantly affecting vehicles currently allowed to use the lane. The most recent statistics showed only 14 £60 fixed penalty notices being issued to drivers in 2008.
In 1999 the lane, labeled ‘Prescott’s folly’, attracted a measure of notoriety when the Tony Blair’s motorcade was spotted using it as the rest of the traffic made rather slower progress in the other two lanes.
Work will commence to suspend the lane on 8 November 2010 – including the removal of signs and road markings and introduction of a revised road layout – with the lane expected to be fully open to all road users from 24 December 2010.
The suspension will remain in place until June 2012 when the lane becomes part of the Olympic Route Network for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Highways Agency will monitor the suspension over the next 18 months and traffic data gathered will be used to inform the Government’s final decision about the future of the bus lane.
At this stage, however, the intention is to remove the lane permanently.
