J HALEY states in relation to people not using bus lanes outside of the posted hours: “By not driving in the left hand lane outside of the times and days given they are breaking the law. The Highway Codes states, keep left at all times when possible.

Therefore the imbeciles driving in the right hand lane outside of the stated hours should be fined and given three points on their license.”

I do hope that J Haley is not a driver, because this assumption is incorrect.

The Highway code is not road traffic law; it is “best practice” advice from which road users should formulate their road behaviour.

There is no specific offence of being in a “wrong lane” on a multi-lane road, particularly in urban areas where there is a 30 mph speed limit and where choice of lane may influence directions taken at subsequent junctions. (which is why the Government is talking about changing the law in relation to middle lane hogging on motorways.) Therefore, there is little the police can do to drivers refusing to enter the bus lanes outside the hours where they are not permitted. If the driver using the outside lane is doing the posted speed limit, what is the advantage to any other road user for them to be in the bus lane?

Having said that of course, it does amuse me when other drivers “toot” me for using the bus lanes when hours permit!

The easiest thing would be to remove the bus lanes, they are really only needed in LARGE cities, certainly not Newport, but then, the bus lanes do have the effect of ensuring traffic isn’t rushing to get past in the outside lane, thus REALLY breaking the law by speeding!

A Bond Tramway Close, Cwmbran