This week has seen the suspension of some bus lanes in Coventry as part of a six month trial to try and cut congestion in the city, the Coventry Telegraph reported.
The plans were introduced on Monday, January 16.
Council leader Cllr 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. I’d also like to thank the bus companies for agreeing to give this trial a go.”
Councillor Jayne Innes, Cabinet Member for City Services, said: “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.
“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 results right from the start.”
The bus lanes will be suspended for nine months under a experimental traffic regulation order. After six months, council officers will report their findings back to the council, where further decisions will be made.
Peter Coates, Managing Director of National Express West Midlands, said: “We will be participating in Coventry’s six-month bus lane review. We will share our data with the city council to fully evaluate the impact on our customers and the city as a whole.”
