Plea to relax bus lane rules

Councillors across all parties said giving the green light for drivers to have the same rights as hackney carriages would help tackle congestion, enhance services and cut pollution.

At a full council meeting, Walsall Labour Group had put forward a motion calling on the administration to allow private hire drivers to use bus lanes.

But this was defeated by an amended motion from the Conservatives, which leader Mike Bird said would allow for the issue to go to cabinet and through the necessary scrutiny and consultation phases before going to the West Midlands enhanced bus partnership of which Walsall is a member.

Prior to 2011, private hire vehicle drivers were allowed to use bus lanes in Walsall, along with taxis and cyclists.

But the council changed this following national guidance to allow for the freer movement of buses and because it was easier for bus lane cameras to distinguish hackney carriage vehicles.

Councillor Bird said local authorities in the region and across the country also did the same at the time.

Wolverhampton was one of those but later relaxed the law for private hire drivers before becoming a member of the partnership, which brings in around £88 million funding for bus services in the West Midlands.

Walsall Labour group deputy leader Khizar Hussain said: “We are asking for the drivers to be appreciated, respected and to give them that flexibility where they can use the bus lanes.

“It will benefit not only them but also customers – it will reduce the journey time, the anxiety of busy schedules.

“On top of that we are looking at being a climate efficient and carbon neutral. If we have less cars in traffic it will reduce emissions.”

Labour leader Aftab Nawaz added: “A private hire vehicle can drive through bus lanes in Wolverhampton but they can’t in Walsall and that’s what we want to change. Drivers have told us again and again it is what they want.”

Independent councillor Pete Smith said he backed the change and added he would “march with all drivers” if the proposal wasn’t supported by cabinet.

Conservative councillor Bobby Bains said: “Being so unfortunate to be stuck in traffic all the time and trying to get on the motorway for nearly an hour, you see an empty bus lane while you are waiting there.

“The bus lanes don’t seem to work in Walsall. What we get is a bus coming along the inside while we are queuing with six to 10 people on it.”

His colleague Waheed Rasab added: “I’m sure most would agree allowing private hire vehicles on bus lanes in Walsall is not going to harm and will only improve the service to commuters.

Bus lanes are underused.   Every time I see a bus, it’s empty. More people are going away from public transport and using their own vehicles or private hire.

“Surely we have a responsibility to try and make our road network better, faster and efficient for our residents.

And Councillor Suky Samra said: “There is a consensus that bus lanes should be opened up for private hire vehicles sometime in the future. The drivers out there want a resolution as soon as possible.”

Councillor Bird, and his deputy Adrian Andrew, said the issue will go before the next cabinet meeting.

He said: “I would give an undertaking whatever cabinet decides, it will be referred to licensing for their input. It would then go to the enhanced bus partnership for their input.

“It is not as simple as people make out. At no time have we said it cannot be done. It maybe that everyone in the world agrees, but I can’t pre-empt the cabinet decision.”

Councillor Andrew added: “There is a lot of sympathy for this to go ahead but we want to do things properly.”