Private hire vehicles using bus lanes

[vinnym70]

Something I've seen happen a lot recently is private hire vehicles using bus lanes during times when there is little or no traffic. Essentially using the lane to undertake and maybe move ahead of 1 or 2 other vehicles rather than pass a significant queue of stationary traffic at busier times of day.

I appreciate that most areas allow private hire vehicles to use bus lanes but I don't see that using them to undertake other vehicles is a legitimate use and can, depending on the layout of the lanes and junctions, cause conflict especially 'out of hours' when roads are quiet enough not to warrant use of bus lanes.

I can't see any obvious rules regarding this so would appreciate thoughts and opinions.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I can't see any obvious rules regarding this so would appreciate thoughts and opinions

As you said most areas allow it. That's the rules. There generally isn't a time / busyness check for that! Now if the drivers are causing issues / driving dangerously to be able to use the lanes then dangerous driving is already covered by other laws.