ACT Motorcyclists permitted to use ‘bus only’ lanes
You may not be aware, but in the ACT motorcycles are permitted to use “Bus Lanes” (as are taxis and hire cars).
Unfortunately, there still seems to be a lot of confusion, and aggravation, about motorcycles using Bus Lanes, even though signage and road markings are clear.
MRA is interested to hear of any problems you have when using Bus Lanes. Please contact us.
Looking at legislation this morning, I cannot see any exceptions for motorbikes under the Australian Road Rules document.
Has this law changed, can anyone confirm? They were pulling over a lot of riders yesterday morning near the city.
After being told again last week by an AFP officer stopping people at the Curtin roundabout, that motorcycles are not permitted to the Bus Lanes, I wrote to the ACT Parliamentary Council’s Office to confirm that section 12 of the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2000 was valid and current legislation. I have that now confirmed in writing, and I have submitted an online enquiry (through Crime Stoppers web site, the only way to report “Road Law” issues) I specifically requested confirmation from the responsible person in ACT Policing Traffic Section confirming they accept the PCO’s advice.
Tried to speak to the motorcycle police officer that was pulling people over this morning at the same place I got pulled over before, to ask him if they had any further information regarding motorcycles in bus lanes.
When I quoted section 12 of the Road Regulations, he told me that legislation was “out of date and had been repealed”! He was firmly of the opinion that motorcycles were not allowed in bus lanes, but it was “too hard to police, so we let it go”. He also told me that taxis were not allowed in bus lanes either. When I tried to show him the legislation on my phone, he told me he was too busy, and I could argue it with the court.
So I contacted the ACT Parliamentary council just to get it in writing from them that section 12 of the the Road Transport Regulation 2000 was in fact the current legislation. When I have that in writing I’m sending it to the Traffic section of the AFP ACT Policing unit.
I’ll keep people updated.
Better than just an ad from a website, the actual legislation:
Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2000, Effective 30 January 2012.
Section 12 ARR r 158(2) (C) – Other Vehicles Permitted to travel in Bus Lanes.
The Drivers of the following vehicles are permitted to drive in a Bus Lane:
(d) Motorbikes
And BTW, section 27A allows Motorbikes to use the “B” light lane at traffic lights too!
So next time you get pulled over and the Police start quoting the Motor Traffic Act, (which doesn’t even exist anymore, as it’s now called the “Australian Road Rules”), advise them that the exceptions which include motorbikes are listed in section 12 and 27A of the the “Regulations”.
But isn’t it interesting they call us “motorbikes”, and not “motorcycles”?
Motorcycles are absolutely allowed to travel in bus lanes and transit lanes.
Wing Howe Wong provided this website this afternoon which provides the answer.
This is from the TAMS site.
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/14054/buslanesad.pdf
Trish
Got pulled over by two motorcycle police this morning on the Phillip roundabout slip “Bus Lane”. When they did the usual “Do you have any reason for riding in a bus lane?” (Which if people don’t know is a way to make you admit to committing the offence they are alleging you of, by you offering an “excuse” you admit to it!) I responded with “Motorbikes are allowed in the Bus Lane. The MRA ACT has sorted this out with the ACT Government. It’s on the MRA ACT Forum”. Well, the police officer responded with: ” …I’ll check the Motor Traffic Act this afternoon, but you’d best not ride here again tomorrow.”
Why not if I’m allowed to???