Cyclists on bus lanes

In the report Dangerous Drain To Be Taken Care Of (July 26), the Sliema local council is quoted as saying that it "agreed with the recommendation of Transport Malta that, for their own sake, nobody is to drive or cycle through any bus lane".

First of all, this contradicts para 61 of the Malta Traffic Code which says exactly the opposite to what Transport Malta says, namely, that cyclists may use bus lanes. This is normal practice in most countries. It is also confirmed, for instance, by the faded markings, "bus," "cycle" on the bus lane leading from Porte des Bombes to Floriana. Therefore for Transport Malta to say that "nobody is to drive or cycle through any bus lane" goes against its own traffic code.

Secondly, the site of the accident was not a "bus lane" but a bus-stop lay-by. Cyclists might understandably use such a lay-by to escape from the main traffic for a short distance.

In most situations, use of bus lanes by cyclists makes sense. Cyclists would otherwise be obliged to ride dangerously between buses on their left and other vehicles on their right wherever there is a bus lane.

On the other hand, Transport Malta can be forgiven for contradicting itself and advising against anybody cycling along a bus lane. Only cyclists with suicidal intent would dare to share a traffic lane with our homicidal buses.

Maybe Transport Malta should make up its mind about what is less dangerous and contemplate a revision of our traffic code - or, better still, install segregated cycle tracks on main commuting routes. Provision for cyclists is regularly promised in successive transport reports but nothing ever happens.