Hauliers helped by PSV priority
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by Ian Wylie • Edinburgh traffic chiefs say a bus priority scheme designed to encourage the use of public transport has also benefited hauliers making deliveries in the city.
The City Council's Greenways Project introduced green priority lanes for buses (similar to London's red routes) on some of Edinburgh's busiest roads.
Only buses, bicycles and taxis are allowed to use these lanes during restricted periods. The city's fleet of 800 buses were also fitted with electronic transponders which trigger traffic lights to change in their favour.
Bus journey times have improved by 10% as a result, and council transport engineer Vince McCann says the scheme will be extended in October to cover the A71, A70 and A702.
As part of the scheme, the council scrapped allday parking along the routes. "Lorry drivers were having to double or even triple park when making deliveries on some roads," says McCann. "But now they are finding it much easier to gain access to loading bays."
Cumbria police are launching a crackdown on speeding drivers along the A66 this month.
From 13-26 July, traffic police will be using radar as well as marked and unmarked cars to check drivers' speeds along the route which has a notorious accident record, particularly between Penrith and the county border.