Everything you need to know about Hull’s bus lane changes
NEW SIGNS HAVE LEFT MOTORISTS QUESTIONING WHEN TO USE THE LANES
THE swapping of signs on Hull’s bus lanes in recent days has indicated that the move to peak-time only restrictions is getting closer.
But the new rules are still yet to come into force, raising questions over when they will take effect and what happens in the meantime.
The works to replace the more than 150 signs continues, almost two years after the process to move away from current all-day rules began.
In the run up to the changes becoming official, questions remain over the exact times restrictions will cover and who will be able to use the lanes and when.
The installation of the signs has also left some wondering what is happening with enforcement.
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the changes and what we know about them.
Can bus lanes be used during the day now and what happens if they are?
The move to peak-time only bus lanes has not yet taken place, so the all-day rules officially remain in place for the time being. However, Hull City Council has said that it has suspended enforcement activity.
The changes have not yet been made official because work to replace road signs with the new bus lane times remains ongoing, with some still showing all-day restrictions. Once the works are completed and the changes officially come into effect, restrictions will be enforced and anyone violating them could be fined up to £70.
What are the new times and when will they come into force?
Bus lane use will be restricted from 7am to 9.30am and from 4pm to 6.30pm between Monday and Saturday once the changes come into force. The new rules will officially come into effect on March 18.
Who will be able to use the bus lanes during enforcement hours?
The only vehicles allowed in bus lanes during enforcement hours will be buses, taxis, bikes and those belonging to the emergency services. Outside of operating hours, all traffic will be able to use the lanes.
Why has it taken so long to change from all-day bus lanes?
All-day bus lanes were introduced in 2020 but, when the Liberal Democrats took control of the council in 2022, they promised to look at ways to improve traffic in Hull. The administration launched a city-wide traffic survey that summer which included questions on bus lane hours and the Liberal Democrats had previously mooted moving back to peak-time enforcement.
The ruling group pledged to respect the results of the survey whatever the outcome and, once the roughly 22,000 responses were analysed, it was clear peak-time had won. But the survey had no legal basis so the council could not immediately act on the results.
A number of statutory consultations were required and they took place in 2023, including one with bus companies and the emergency services. The results then had to be analysed by council officers and a report went before senior councillors in October and they backed switching to peak-time only enforcement.
Traffic Regulation Orders (TROS), the legal mechanism used to change road rules, then had to be drawn up and they were published in January.
Works were then needed to update the signs informing road users of the enforcement hours. With all that done, the changes are now set to come into force in a few days’ time.
Will the changes reduce congestion?
The main argument for returning to peak-time only enforcement has been that it will help keep traffic flowing during the day by giving drivers more lanes to use. It was among the measures proposed to try to get traffic moving in Hull after the return of motorists when coronavirus restrictions eased put the city’s infrastructure under strain.
But in the run-up to October’s decision, council traffic officers warned the changes would make little difference to congestion. East Yorkshire Buses managing director Ben Gilligan opposed the move, claiming public transport, which takes cars off the road, would be slowed down and less efficient.
Council transport portfolio holder Cllr Mark Ieronimo said the decision reflected the wishes of the people of Hull. He added the council would continue to support bus services and look at improving infrastructure for other modes of transport, including off-road cycle lanes.
Council officials said they would monitor the effects of the changes after they come into force.