Bus lanes in Norwich are being opened up to HGVs operating from a nearby freight consolidation centre.

Under a 12-month experimental Traffic Regulation Order, vehicles operating from Norwich Freight Consolidation Centre will be allowed to use the inbound Newmarket Road bus lane and the bus/loading-only route through Castle Meadow /Red Lion Street.

The Norwich Highways Agency Committee approved the proposal, which, together with the consolidation centre, is part of the European-wide CIVITAS initiative.

The county and city council initiative has met opposition from cycling and business groups, and South Norfolk District Council. Concerns have particularly focused on mixing HGVs with cyclists within such a narrow lane.

But, under the proposal, consolidation centre vehicles would not be permitted to overtake cyclists in the bus lane, given the lane is, on average, 3.1m wide – the Department for Transport identifies 5.1m as the overall space for an HGV to overtake a cyclist in a 30mph speed zone.

Consolidation centre drivers will undergo on-the-job training, and a code of conduct has been developed to remind drivers not to attempt to overtake cyclists, if they cannot move into the adjacent lane.

A report to the committee also emphasises that other HGVs would not be allowed into bus lanes, because it ‘would be against the aims and objectives of the consolidation centre’.

Five of the centre’s vehicles are expected to use the bus lanes each day – compared with 30 buses an hour. CIVITAS is a European initiative aiming to bring cleaner and more-efficient transport to cities by promoting integrated, sustainable transport strategies (Surveyor, 6 March 2008).