Bus lane plan paused by council pending review

Parts of the dual carriageway would be reduced to a single lane for general traffic under the plans

A multi-million pound plan to install bus lanes along a major route into Leicester has been put on hold, the city council has said.

Plans to remodel stretches of the A6 along St Margaret's Way and Abbey Lane were announced in July 2023 but work has not so far commenced.

The authority has told the BBC the scheme has been put on hold after councillors requested a city-wide review of how bus lanes operate.

The results of that review are expected "in the coming months", the council said.

Nearly £3m had been earmarked for the scheme which would see lanes, reserved for buses, taxis and cycles, established on both sides of the dual carriageway.

That would require the number of lanes for general traffic on parts of the A6 to be reduced from two to one.

The council planned to enforce the bus lanes' use, and a new red route "no stopping" restriction introduced, with cameras to issue fines to drivers straying into or parking in the restricted area.

The council said the project was intended to make it easier for buses to get between the city centre and the Birstall park and ride terminal.

'Aware of concern'

A council spokesperson said: "Bus lanes, and bus lane enforcement, are currently subject to an ongoing review by the council's economic development, transport and climate emergency scrutiny commission.

"Therefore, the A6 bus lane proposals are currently on hold pending completion of that work in the coming months."

City councillor Sue Waddington, who chairs the committee, said: "We became aware of concern that bus lane cameras are enforced 24 hours a day even when most buses do not run round the clock.

"We set up a task group to review the bus lanes. No concerns were raised about the A6 scheme, in particular, but the result of the review could have an effect on it."

She said she hoped a report on the review would be available at the beginning of November.