ROAD TRAFFIC Citation and commencement 1 This Order may be cited as the A13 Trunk Road (Tower Hamlets) (Bus Lanes) Traffic Order 1994 and shall come into force on 14th November 1994. General interpretation 2 In this Order: “carriageway” means a way constituting or comprised in a highway, being a way over which the public have a right of way for the passage of vehicles; “enactment” includes any subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978 ; “licensed cab” has the same meaning as in the London Cab Act 1968 ; “local service” has the same meaning given in section 2 of the Transport Act 1985 “pedestrian crossing” means an area comprising a crossing for foot passengers marked on a road in accordance with regulations made under section 25 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and all parts of the road indicated in accordance with such regulations as being within the limits of the crossing; “Schedule” means the Schedule to this Order; and the expressions “pedal cycle”, “scheduled express service”, “school bus” and “works bus” have the same meaning as in the Traffic Signs Regulations 1994 . Interpretation of references to a bus lane, a length of road and associated expressions 3 1 In this Order, “bus lane” means the area bounded by– a the relevant edge of the carriageway of a length of road specified in the Schedule; and b a traffic sign consisting of a longitudinal single white line on the same side of the road as that edge (such a white line being referred to in this Order, in relation to a bus lane, as “the single white line”); and extending along the whole of that length of road. 2 Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) above, where the single white line marking the boundary of a bus lane is broken by a gap opposite and adjacent to the junction of such a length of road with any other road or at a pedestrian crossing, the boundary shall nevertheless be regarded as continuing unbroken. 3 In this Order– a a reference to a length of road specified in the Schedule is a reference to a length of road described in a single paragraph of the Schedule; b a reference to the relevant edge of the carriageway, in relation to a length of road described in a paragraph of the Schedule, is a reference to the edge on the side of the road indicated by the Schedule; and c a reference to an adjacent part of the road, in relation to a bus lane, is a reference to an area that is not within the bus lane but is within the carriageway of the length of road which comprises the bus lane. Application 4 This Order applies to the lengths of road in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets specified in the Schedule. Restriction on use of bus lanes 5 No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to enter or proceed in a bus lane comprised in a length of road specified in the Schedule between 0700 hours and 1900 hours on Mondays to Saturdays inclusive. Exemptions relating to classes of vehicles and vehicles being used for certain purposes 6 1 Article 5 does not apply to– a a public service vehicle used in the provision of a local service or a scheduled express service; b a school bus or a works bus; c any other vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than 11 passengers; d a pedal cycle; e a licensed cab; f a vehicle being used for ambulance, fire brigade or police purposes if the observance of any provision of this Order would hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion; g a vehicle being used in the service of a local authority for the purpose of collecting refuse from premises adjacent to a bus lane. 2 Article 5 does not apply to a vehicle being used in connection with– a any building operation or demolition; b the removal of any obstruction to traffic; c the maintenance, improvement or reconstruction of any road; d the laying, erection, alteration or repair of any sewer or of any main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity or of any telecommunications apparatus as defined in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 in or near any road; or e the placing, maintenance or removal of any traffic sign; provided that in all the circumstances it is necessary for the vehicle to enter a bus lane. Exemptions relating to crossing and turning traffic 7 A person who causes or permits a vehicle to enter a bus lane shall not contravene article 5 if– a the vehicle enters a bus lane from a road which does not comprise the bus lane and then forthwith leaves the bus lane through the gap in the single white line situated opposite and adjacent to the junction of that road with a bus lane, or if there is no such gap, at a point opposite that road; b the vehicle enters the bus lane from an adjacent part of the road through any gap in the single white line and then forthwith enters a road which lies opposite that gap; c in a case where there is no gap in the single white line opposite and adjacent to the junction between the bus lane and a road which does not comprise the bus lane (“the other road”), the vehicle enters the bus lane from an adjacent part of the road which comprises the bus lane and then forthwith enters the other road; d the vehicle enters the bus lane from any vehicular accessway or crossing over the footway adjoining the bus lane and forthwith leaves the bus lane at a point opposite that vehicular accessway or crossing; or e the vehicle enters the bus lane from an adjacent part of the road at a point opposite any vehicular accessway or crossing over the footway adjoining a bus lane and then forthwith enters that vehicular accessway or crossing. Exemptions in other circumstances 8 1 A person who causes or permits a vehicle to enter or proceed in a bus lane shall not contravene article 5 if he does so for the sole purpose of enabling a person suffering from any disability or injury (including blindness) which seriously impairs his ability to walk, to board or alight from that vehicle and the vehicle does not remain in the bus lane for longer than necessary for that purpose. 2 A person who causes or permits a vehicle to enter or proceed in a bus lane shall not contravene article 5 if he does so– a in order to prevent an accident and the vehicle then leaves the bus lane as soon as practicable; b because he is required by law to stop and the vehicle then leaves the bus lane as soon as practicable; c in order to deliver postal packets addressed to premises adjacent to the bus lane; or d in order to collect postal packets from such premises or post office letter boxes adjacent to the bus lane. 3 Article 5 of this Order does not apply to anything done– a with the permission or at the direction of a constable in uniform or of a traffic warden, or b in accordance with any indication given by a traffic sign which has been placed pursuant to section 66 or 67 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Savings relating to other enactments 9 The prohibitions imposed by this Order are in addition to and not in derogation of any restriction, prohibition or requirement imposed by any other enactment and any exception or exemption from the provisions of this Order is without prejudice to the provisions of any other enactment. Variation and Revocation 10 1 The Tower Hamlets (Bus Lanes) (No.2) Traffic Order 1985 shall be varied as follows. 2 In the Schedule, paragraph 2 shall be omitted. 11 The Tower Hamlets (Bus Lanes) (No.1) Traffic Order 1985 is hereby revoked. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport P.J. Bevis A Grade 6 Officer Highways Agency London Office 7th November 1994