Hospital ambulances cannot use bus lanes

[Blondie73]

I'm not talking the 999 sort here.

 

My daughter has a serious illness and we sometimes use the day ambulance service to take her to her appointments and back.Other patients are picked up along the way usually,mainly the older people.We were stuck in the one way system traffic queue on the way back (not Sheffield).I asked why they don't use the bus lane any more to avoid this,as they are a public service and the driver said a few people sat in traffic queues had complained to the council so they don't do it any more.

 

I couldn't believe it.My daughter's illness is degenerative and terminal,another lady had just had chemo and people don't like them using bus lanes to get these sick people home quicker!I wouldn't mind so much if we hadn't waited two hours in a waiting room for a ambulance big enough to take my daughters wheel chair!!

 

Any one else think this is wrong or am I bias?

[ratter71]

IIRC in Sheffield they can use bus lanes under a local agreement with the council

[Twiglet]

They can use the bus lanes under an agreement with the council, as can taxis and other vehicles people would generally consider less entitled. If the day ambulance service has chosen to stop using the lanes due to some complaints then that's their decision.

[cgksheff]

What are 'Permitted' and 'Authorised' Vehicles'?

'Permitted vehicles' are buses, taxis, bicycles, and "Authorised vehicles". 'Authorised vehicles' are defined in our Bus Priority Order as:

 

 

Private Hire Vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by us, operating under a licence issued by a Local Authority

 

Vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by us, carrying persons on behalf of the National Health Service for medical reasons

 

Vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by us, being operated on behalf of a Local Authority for educational or care reasons

 

 

Our other vehicles are not exempt from these restrictions. Marked Police, Ambulance and Fire Service emergency vehicles may also use these bus facilities at any time.

 

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads/schemes/bus-lane-enforcement/questions#authorised

[ratter71]

They can use the bus lanes under an agreement with the council, as can taxis and other vehicles people would generally consider less entitled. If the day ambulance service has chosen to stop using the lanes due to some complaints then that's their decision.

 

In Sheffield there is, its not a county/countrywide agreement for PTS

[Twiglet]

In Sheffield there is, its not a county/countrywide agreement for PTS

 

I know, hence referring to the 'council'. I'm assuming the OP was referring to Sheffield.

[Longcol]

I'm not talking the 999 sort here.

 

My daughter has a serious illness and we sometimes use the day ambulance service to take her to her appointments and back.Other patients are picked up along the way usually,mainly the older people.We were stuck in the one way system traffic queue on the way back (not Sheffield).I asked why they don't use the bus lane any more to avoid this,as they are a public service and the driver said a few people sat in traffic queues had complained to the council so they don't do it any more.

 

I couldn't believe it.My daughter's illness is degenerative and terminal,another lady had just had chemo and people don't like them using bus lanes to get these sick people home quicker!I wouldn't mind so much if we hadn't waited two hours in a waiting room for a ambulance big enough to take my daughters wheel chair!!

 

Any one else think this is wrong or am I bias?

 

I think non-999 Ambulances should be allowed to use the bus lane - and you ought to be getting hold of your local councillors and trying to get them to reverse their decision.

[ratter71]

I know, hence referring to the 'council'. I'm assuming the OP was referring to Sheffield.

 

Ah, but i read the OP:hihi:

 

We were stuck in the one way system traffic queue on the way back (not Sheffield).I asked why they don't use the bus lane any more to avoid this,as they are a public service and the driver said a few people sat in traffic queues had complained to the council so they don't do it any more.

 

[mediman]

I'm not talking the 999 sort here.

 

My daughter has a serious illness and we sometimes use the day ambulance service to take her to her appointments and back.Other patients are picked up along the way usually,mainly the older people.We were stuck in the one way system traffic queue on the way back (not Sheffield).I asked why they don't use the bus lane any more to avoid this,as they are a public service and the driver said a few people sat in traffic queues had complained to the council so they don't do it any more.

 

I couldn't believe it.My daughter's illness is degenerative and terminal,another lady had just had chemo and people don't like them using bus lanes to get these sick people home quicker!I wouldn't mind so much if we hadn't waited two hours in a waiting room for a ambulance big enough to take my daughters wheel chair!!

 

Any one else think this is wrong or am I bias?

 

Below is a copy of the order which allowed non emergency ambulances and medicars to use the bus lanes and bus gates in Sheffield, the only bus gate not allowed to use is Crystal Peaks. Allthough this came into effect on the 26th Dec 2005 medicars and ambulances were still being tickited by the council for using the bus lanes as late as 2009, when i once pointed this out to the council dept that had issused a fixed penalty ticket to one of the medicar drivers, the young woman replied i know nothing of this order. After telling her to go and check it out she rang me back and said yes i was quite right and that they knew nothing of this order and appologised for their error. A case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. But as stated this order is only allowed in Sheffield. So any ambulance that is carrying patients for hospital appointments is allowed to use the bus lanes Sheffield.

 

THE SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL

(BUS PRIORITY) (CONSOLIDATION) ORDER 1991

(AMENDMENT NO. 37 ) ORDER 2005

The Sheffield City Council in exercise of its powers under Section 1(1), 2(1) and (2) and

Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 ("the Act") and of all other enabling

powers, and after consultation with the Chief Officer of Police in accordance with Part III of

Schedule 9 to the Act, hereby makes the following Order:-

1. The Sheffield City Council (Bus Priority) (Consolidation) Order 1991 (as amended) shall

~have effect as though:

a) In DEFINITIONS 2 (1) there were deleted those for "Service Bus" and "Works Bus".

b) In DEFINITIONS 2 (1) that for "Taxi" was substituted by the following definition:

"Taxi" has the same meaning as in Regulation 4 of Section 1, Part I of The Traffic

Signs and General Directions 2002.

c) In DEFINITIONS 2 (1) there were included the following definitions:

"Bus" has the same meaning as in Regulation 22 of Section 3, Part I of The Traffic

Signs and General Directions 2002.

"Authorised vehicles" means:

- Private Hire Vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by Sheffield City

Council, operating under a licence issued by a Local Authority;

- vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by Sheffield City Council,

carrying persons on behalf of the National Health Service for medica! reasons; or

- vehicles with suitable side markings, as approved by Sheffield City Council, being

operated on behalf of a Local Authority for educational or care reasons.

d) In Articles 3, 4, 4A, 5, 5A, 5B and 7 thereto for "service bus, works bus, pedal cycle

or taxi" there was substituted "bus, pedal cycle, motor cycle, taxi or authorised

vehicle".

e) In Article 6 (1) (ii) thereto there was deleted "emergency".

f) Article 6 (2), Article 10 (5) and Article 1 3A © thereto were deleted.

g) For the purpose referred to in Article 10 (2) (ii), Article 12 (2) (a), Article 16 (a) and

Article 1 8A thereto there were substituted the following purpose:

"a vehicle being used for police, fire brigade and ambulance purposes, or in an

emergency for local authority purposes;"

h) In Articles 11, 11 A, 11 B, 11 0, 11 E, 14, 1 4A, 1 4B, 15, 1 5B and 18, thereto for

NseMce bus, works bus, pedal cycle or taxi" there was substituted "bus, pedal cycle,

taxi or authorised vehicle".

i) For Article 13 thereto there was substituted the following article:

13 Nothing in Article 11 of this Order shall render it:

- lawful for a taxi or authorised vehicle to proceed in the Peaks Mount bus

gates;

- unlawful for a vehicle being used by or on behalf of a bus operator to

proceed in the Peaks Mount bus gates.