Police cars in bus lanes

[jcse15]

Are police cars/vans allowed in bus lanes when on non-emergency duties?

[madmondeo]

they are allowed to drive wherever they like

[pink-kittens]

No, they are not - only as you suspect when on an emergency

[Toureman]

As above, NO.

[ChuckFickens]

as both above,

No, they have to obey all road a traffic laws the same as any other drivers

[jcse15]

So I guess the Metropolitan Police will be receiving a �100 fine from Southwark Council for the police van I saw driving in a bus lane on Friday in Peckham? (right underneath a bus lane camera and at the exact same spot where I got the same fine a couple of years ago for doing the same thing) What do you reckon?

[Ethel]

I reckon you can't tell if the vehicle was on an emergency call or not.

Also what time was it? Most bus lanes aren't 24 hour and anyone can drive in them outside the restricted hours.

[jcse15]

The vehicle was most definitely not on an emergency call and the bus lane it was in is most definitely 'at any time'.

[Ethel]

How do you know it wasn't on an emergency?

They do use silent response in some situations.

[Lord Unstone]

the police are a law unto themselves. I don't know how some of hem even passed a test!

[pink-kittens]

Silent response maybe but with lights all guns blazing, surely? After all, how are other drivers supposed to know to get out the way, bus lane or not?

[Compostella]

Its one rule for them......................

I once saw a police van parked outside the train station and its road tax was out of date. I told them and they just thanked me for letting them know. Imagine if it was the other way round.

And they wonder why they command little respect.

[johnny37]

Ive seen a ruddy great fire engine poodling through my local shopping centre. The driver got out and went to the bank. Definitely not legal but when I asked a copper friend about it he said they tend to ignore misdemeaners by other services to keep a good rapport.

[ugly_bob]

Er.. Police van. Was it a minibus?

[oldhamfan]

Compostella, road tax for police vehicles is Nil

[dm1982]

irrespective of whether its nil it still needs to be valid and in date and displayed, our NHS pool cars have free NHS-V road fund licences but they still need to be displayed