13 March 2008 - It was announced at the Joint Highways Agency Committee (JHAC) this morning that the implementation of the scheme allowing 'freight consolidation vehicles' to use the bus-and-bike lane on Newmarket Road will be delayed from March until May to allow time to consider the very strong objections that have been raised against the scheme by cyclists, residents, the Green Party, the LibDems, and others.
"This is excellent news" said Councillor Rupert Read, Green representative on the JHAC. "The Council's consultation on this issue has been abysmal and this delay will provide a real opportunity for everyone to make their views known on it. I urge people with strong views on the issue or personal experience of cycling on this road to get in touch with the Transport Officers at County Hall, over the next few weeks.
"We in Norwich Green Party believe that there are better alternatives available than mixing cyclists and HGVs in narrow bus lanes. Why not, for instance, encourage use of the freight consolidation centre by means of simply banning HGVs which are not freight consolidation vehicles from using Newmarket Road and other such roads at peak hours? That would be a much more significant incentive for freight consolidation than would this proposed abuse of the bus-and-bike lane."