The author of this article argues that making space on bus lanes available to some other traffic would give drivers an opportunity to buy priority. Various problems arise because bus lanes are currently being (almost) exclusively used for buses. They could be solved by allowing other traffic to use bus lanes in amounts insufficient to delay the buses. The Government will soon give local authorities the power to introduce road pricing on roads under their jurisdiction; this will give them the opportunity to modify their bus-lane policies in politically feasible ways. At present, bus lanes are very rarely used by buses to near their full capacity, and often, especially outside peak periods, the buses on them carry fewer passengers than cars using their space would do. Much of the spare space on bus lanes could be used by cars whose drivers are willing to pay for this additional priority; this would also reduce congestion in other traffic lanes by removing some of their traffic. Bus lanes and road pricing are likely to be justifiable in the same kinds of location, and their combined use there would reduce opposition by road users who would suffer inconvenience if they are introduced separately. The lanes and surveillance measures for using them are already in place.
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