A report informing the Sub-Committee of the feedback received from the statutory consultation associated with the experimental traffic regulation order, allowing motorcycles to access the bus lanes delivered through the Bus Scheme Improvement Plan and to make recommendations on whether this should be made permanent.

The Sub-Committee received a report informing them of the feedback that had been received from the statutory consultation associated with the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, allowing motorcycles to access the bus lanes that had been delivered through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), and made recommendations on whether this should be made permanent. The Consultation Results were attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that a six month statutory consultation period had taken place between 13 September 2024 and 13 March 2025.  The permanent TRO would grant permission for motorcycles to use the following three bus lanes, which had already been implemented:

·       A329 Oxford Road – Outbound bus lane between Zinzan Street and George Street;

·       A329 Oxford Road – Outbound bus lane between Pangbourne Street and Norcot;

·       A4 London Road – Inbound bus lane between Liverpool Road and Cemetery Junction.

This permission would also be granted to the remaining bus lanes subject to their implementation:

·       A327 – Southampton Street – Inbound bus lane from Pell Street to The Oracle roundabout;

·       A4 London Road – Inbound bus lane between Sidmouth Street and London Street.

The report included a summary of the statutory consultation results in tables that highlighted the common themes raised and outlined both the positive and negative feedback that had been received from respondents.

The report proposed making the Experimental TRO into a Permanent TRO for each of the bus lanes that had been implemented already and would also be extended to the remaining lanes.

Resolved –

(1)           That the report and the consultation feedback set out in Appendix 1 be noted;

(2)           That Officer recommendations, as set out in the report, be agreed and the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services given authority to make permanent the existing Experimental Traffic Regulation Order;

(3)           That no public inquiry be held into the proposals.