Council bosses are poised to refuse a long-standing request for motorbikes to use Aberdeen’s bus lanes following pressure from transport firms, police and cycling groups.
Motorcyclists have been campaigning for permission for nearly two decades and a public petition launched by Stewart McCann last year put the idea back on the public agenda.
Supporters of the idea say that it could improve safety for bikers who would not have to weave in and out of traffic as well as encourage people to switch from cars to more environmentally friendly bikes and scooters.
When brought to the petitions committee, then convener Claire Imrie said looking at the scheme was “a great idea”.
But a new report to the council’s operations committee has recommended not proceeding with costing showing it could cost up to £20,000 to implement.
A report to councillors reads: “Bus lanes within Aberdeen are provided within a confined urban environment and therefore may not always accommodate motorcycles overtaking stationary buses within the lane width itself.
“…Police Scotland questioned the need to allow motorcycles into bus lanes as they felt that motorcyclists could legally filter their way through standing or queued traffic and allowing motorcycles into bus lanes may lead to more collisions…
“The cycling groups were very clear in their opposition to this proposal in their responses.”
Neil Powers, the founder of the North East Rider Volunteers Scotland charity uses motorbikes to transport urgent medical samples, equipment and supplies between health sites in the region.
He said: “A lot of our work occurs at rush hour periods and I can only imagine allowing us access to bus lanes would speed things up for us.
“If taxis are allowed to use them simply to get fares to their destination quicker why can’t we to transport our equipment?”
Original petitioner Stewart McCann said: “I’m very disappointed in the findings of the report and feel motorcyclists pose less of a danger to cyclists than taxis and buses.”
SNP operations spokeswoman Jackie Dunbar said: “Whilst the SNP group remain supportive of the proposal for motorcycles to use bus lanes, there are financial constraints which may not make it feasible.”
And operations vice-convener Gordon Graham said: “I will need to thoroughly scrutinise the report but I think it would take quite a lot to convince me of the merits of this.”
