Petition to Improve Motorcycle Safety by Allowing Motorcycles to Use Suitable Bus Lanes Across Glasgow Petition Statement

We call upon the Scottish Government and Scotland's local authorities to introduce a consistent national policy permitting motorcycles and scooters to use designated bus lanes where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Motorcyclists are among Scotland's most vulnerable road users. Despite making up a relatively small proportion of vehicles on our roads, riders continue to suffer a disproportionately high number of fatal and serious injuries. Every practical, evidence-based measure that has the potential to improve rider safety should be considered.

A number of councils already permit motorcycles to use certain bus lanes, demonstrating that this policy can be implemented safely. However, many other councils continue to prohibit motorcycles from using bus lanes, creating inconsistency across Scotland and denying riders access to road space that could reduce their exposure to unnecessary risk.

Why This Change Is Needed

Motorcyclists face risks every time they travel. Unlike occupants of cars, riders have no protective bodywork, airbags or seatbelts. Even relatively low-speed collisions can result in life-changing injuries or fatalities.

One of the greatest risks occurs in slow-moving or stationary traffic where motorcycles are vulnerable to:

• Rear-end collisions from inattentive drivers.
• Drivers distracted by mobile phones or other in-vehicle distractions.
• Sudden lane changes by drivers who fail to check mirrors.
• Vehicles turning across the path of motorcycles.
• Congestion that encourages unpredictable vehicle movements.

Allowing motorcycles to use suitable bus lanes would reduce the time riders spend exposed to these hazards while improving the overall flow of traffic.

Changing Road Layouts and Increased Exposure to Risk

Across Scotland, councils have invested significantly in new cycling infrastructure to encourage active travel. These improvements provide valuable benefits for cyclists and support healthier, more sustainable transport.

However, many of these projects have also involved narrowing existing traffic lanes or reallocating road space previously used by general traffic.

For motorcyclists, these changes can have unintended consequences. On many roads where lanes have been narrowed, there is no longer enough width for motorcycles to filter safely and legally through stationary traffic. Riders who could previously move carefully through slow-moving queues are now required to remain stationary between larger vehicles.

This increases their exposure to one of the most dangerous situations for motorcyclists: being struck from behind by inattentive drivers who fail to recognise slowing or stationary traffic.

Motorcyclists have no protective shell around them. A rear-end collision that might result in vehicle damage for a car driver can have devastating consequences for someone on a motorcycle.

This proposal does not oppose investment in cycling infrastructure. Safe cycling facilities are an important part of Scotland's transport network. Rather, it seeks to ensure that, as road space is redesigned, the safety of another vulnerable group of road users is not overlooked.

Where suitable bus lanes already exist, allowing motorcycles to use them provides a practical and cost-effective way of reducing unnecessary risk without requiring significant new infrastructure.

Evidence from Existing Schemes

The City of Edinburgh already permits motorcycles to use many of its bus lanes. This demonstrates that shared use can be introduced safely where road layouts and local conditions are suitable.

Elsewhere in the UK, many local authorities have adopted similar policies. Experience has shown that allowing motorcycles into bus lanes can operate successfully without significant impacts on buses, cyclists or other road users when supported by appropriate road design and signage.

National guidance has also encouraged highway authorities to consider permitting motorcycles in bus lanes where local conditions make this appropriate.

Benefits of Allowing Motorcycles in Bus Lanes

Introducing this policy across Scotland would provide several important benefits:

• Improve rider safety by reducing exposure to congested traffic.
• Reduce the likelihood of rear-end collisions.
• Reduce conflicts caused by filtering through slow-moving traffic.
• Improve traffic flow by removing motorcycles from stationary queues.
• Reduce emissions from unnecessary idling.
• Provide a consistent approach across Scotland, reducing confusion for riders travelling between different council areas.
• Support Scotland's Road Safety Framework by helping to reduce deaths and serious injuries among vulnerable road users.

A Practical and Balanced Approach

This proposal is not asking for unrestricted access to every bus lane.

Instead, we ask councils to:

• Carry out safety assessments on individual bus lanes.
• Permit motorcycles where road width, visibility and operating conditions make it safe.
• Retain restrictions where genuine safety concerns exist.
• Introduce clear and consistent signage.
• Monitor casualty data following implementation.
• Review the scheme after two years using independent road safety statistics.

Supporting Scotland's Road Safety Ambitions

Scotland has ambitious targets for reducing road deaths and serious injuries.

Achieving these targets requires policies that recognise the needs of every vulnerable road user.

Motorcyclists deserve the same commitment to evidence-based safety improvements that has benefited other groups over recent years.

Allowing motorcycles to use suitable bus lanes is not about giving riders special treatment. It is about reducing unnecessary risk using infrastructure that already exists.

If this change prevents even one death or one life-changing injury, it will have been worthwhile.

Our Request

We respectfully ask the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland, Police Scotland and Scotland's local authorities to work together to:

1. Review current restrictions on motorcycles using bus lanes.
2. Develop a consistent national policy for motorcycle access to suitable bus lanes.
3. Allow motorcycles to use bus lanes wherever independent safety assessments show it is appropriate.
4. Monitor the impact through published collision and casualty data.
5. Work alongside rider organisations, road safety charities, bus operators, cycling organisations and local communities to ensure the policy is implemented safely.

Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable people using Scotland's roads. They deserve policies based on evidence, fairness and safety.

Scotland has already shown leadership in improving road safety for many groups. It is now time to extend that commitment by giving serious consideration to allowing motorcycles to use suitable bus lanes across the country.

We urge decision-makers to review the evidence and take positive action to improve motorcycle safety for current and future generations of riders.