As the article suggests, not the first time this has been raised, but the transport convener wants it finally 'put to bed'...
And maybe worth noting that a previous transport convener in recent history was Dr Scott Arthur, who is one of the TransComm committee members conducting the House of Commons inquiry
And after reading just a few excerpts from the TransComm transcripts I'm picking up a certain vibe from Dr Arthur with regard to the trade.
And a vibe that is entirely expected
Plea by Edinburgh private hire drivers to use city's bus lanes set to be rejected by council
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... il-5389111
Council chiefs look set to reject a plea to allow private hire vehicles to use the city's bus lanes.
But officials are to look at whether both private hire cars and back cabs should be allowed to access roads which are closed to general traffic by "bus gates".
The request from private hire drivers to lift the ban on access to bus lanes and bus gates is to be considered by the council's transport and environment committee next week.
Private hire drivers say being unable to use bus lanes means longer journeys for their passengers.
But convener Stephen Jenkinson said there had been similar requests on bus lanes in the past and the committee had always stuck to the existing policy.
He said: "I'm very supportive of ensuring the bus priority measures we have in place in the city continue to serve their purpose and do their job, so I'm clear that I want to ensure bus lanes are predominantly for buses and are not available to private hire vehicles (PHVs)."
A report to the committee says bus operators are concerned about potential increases in journey times and a reduction in reliability if more vehicles are allowed to use bus lanes and cycling representatives were worried it could have a negative effect on safety.
The PHV drivers argue that not having access to bus lanes means longer journey times for their passengers and is unfair when black cabs do have access.
Cllr Jenkinson said: “We recognise that private hire does offer transport options for those who don't have access to private cars and are unable to use public transport. It's an important element of the mix.
"But if you have a bus priority measure and you're really pushing for people to see bus as a primary option for them to get around the city, reducing the benefit that buses get by potentially allowing 3,000 private hire cars access to bus lanes I think would probably negate the use of it in the first place.”
On the alleged unfairness of allowing black cabs to use bus lanes but not PHVs, he said: “It's very difficult to differentiate between a PHV and any other vehicle. Once you open Pandora's box you run the risk of making it a free for all on bus lanes and then you lose the priority measure.”
However, there may be better news for private hire drivers over “bus gates” - short lengths of bus lane used to close certain streets to general traffic.
Cllr Jenkinson said: “Where I do have a degree of sympathy and flexibility is not so much on bus lanes but on bus gates. Bus gates restrict not just PHVs but black cabs too. We're going to look at a little more detail at bus gates.”
The committee will be asked to approve a review of all existing and proposed bus gates to consider where it may be appropriate to allow access to both PHVs and black taxis.
Cllr Jenkinson said: “I think it's quite important, certainly in the short to medium term, to put to bed the question of PHVs and bus lanes, but at the same time explore how bus gates could be more efficiently used across the city.”
He said each bus gate would be considered individually and there was the option to allow permanent access or time-restricted access.