Never seen that one - very confusing. On the A23 there are rectangular signs (blue and white I think) that say "A23 Motorcycles in Bus Lanes Experiment" and from there on there is a bike silhouhette alongwith the usual bus and taxi on the signs,

As far as I know, the only permitted (by the DfT) sign that allows motorcycles to use bus lanes is the white motorcycle-looking one on the blue background.I do know that Kingston did have a trial for two of its bus lanes (permitting motorcycle use), but I don't know which lanes or whether the trial is continuing/been made permanent/been abandoned.The sign below the bus lane could have been a left-over from a trial which had been intended to remind other road users that motorcycles might be found in bus lanes.I shall have to look into this further.

Well I havent driven through Kingston from Richmond Park direction (which is where these signs are) for some time no. I spent the first part of 2005 in Devon and Spain and a lot of the second part of the year with my leg in plaster, so the last time I would ahve driven or ridden that way would be around Dec 04, but I dont remember them from back then. But there has been no change in lane use.I dont remember a bike trial in the bus lanes in Kingston, and nor do the police, the bus companies or the Council it seems.Motorcycles still are not and never have been allowed to use the bus lanes in Kingston according to the local authority 'Roads and Planning' dept and 'Lights and Signage' dept and the Traffic police and the front desk staff in Kingston Police station, who also state that they will nick you for using the bus lanes regardless of any change or trial that the Council introduce, as they go by the blue and white signs that do and always have prohibited motorcycles. The blue and white signs state buses and bcycles only are allowed to use the bus lanes during operational hours and according to the Council depts again, the usage signs have not ever been changed.. So if the red signs are reflecting a change as you suggest, what is the change they are refering to ?

Ok, heres a question. We all know the normal blue sign with white symbols that is displayed on posts along bus lanes that denote what vehicles are allowed to use them.Well I noticed this week that all around Kingston, the signs have not changed, they still show the standad buses and bicycle only signs, but underneath them is a new sign. Its a large rectangle shape, with a red background and a white border, and white lettering that says :Motorcycles using bus lanesWell im wondering what that means. Its not as clear as you might think. Red signs normaly mean a warning or a prohibition, so does this mean its a warning to busses saying we are allowed to use the bus lanes, or is it a warning to motorcycles not to use them after a LOT of prosecutions and convictions in the past by Kingston council who have a reputation for being a bit anal about this. So after a bit of ringing around and knocking on various offices to do a bit of asking Ive come up with the following.The town and road planners dept in Kingston Council claim to know nothing about the signs or where thay have come from and advise that Motorcycles are still NOT allowed to use bus lanes and you will be prosecuted if you do.Kingston police dont know where the signs have come from, but advise that there has been no change in the law and they will still nick you if you are seen in a bus lane, HOWEVER the sign would give you a good defence if you wanted to test it in a court... The bus companies deny any knowledge of them and say that the official line is that drivers will report the numberplate of any bikes or cars in the bus lane (although this rarely happens and most drivers ignore them). Soooo..... Any ideas what these signs actually mean ?

UncleSol wroteAs far as I know, the only permitted (by the DfT) sign that allows motorcycles to use bus lanes is the white motorcycle-looking one on the blue background.Hexakerly. Anything you can find would be good

Swindons got blue and white signs on some bus lanes.Quite funny a couple of months back when a copper pulled me for riding in the buslane so I just pointed at the sign that was 10 feet away...

Mervalous wrotehmmmmm maybe these red ones were to warn bikes NOT to use these lanes as they were not part of the trial? Nope I'm fairly sure what I said is correct The red signs are only on the bus lanes that let bikes use them.

Oh, well there goes my poor observation joke... Some time ago KC allowed bikes to use some bus lanes on a trial basis - AFAIK, they still do. They can use the ones going from New Malden to Kingston and the ones from the A3 hill into Kingston but not the ones on the bridge. The blue and white signs have bikes as well as busses and bicycles on the lanes bikes can use. I use them when I ride through Kingston and haven't been nicked yet The change refers to allowing bikes to use the bus lanes for the trial.

CBRSticky wroteWell I noticed this week that all around Kingston, the signs have not changed, they still show the standad buses and bicycle only signs, but underneath them is a new sign. Its a large rectangle shape, with a red background and a white border, and white lettering that says : Motorcycles using bus lanes I'm hoping you haven't been to Kingston for a while because they have been there for at least 18 months... They were put up, almost certainly coincidentally , following a discussion on SS which prompted someone to email Kingston Council suggesting that they warn other motorists of the change of used of bus lanes by putting up signs to that effect... AFAIK, they are for that purpose. The time / vehicle rule blue signs apply - the red ones are just additional warning signs.

Well apparantly the 'sign bloke' who is probably the only person who would know cant be found and someone is going to ring me back. We had a couple of traffic coppers attending an incident outside my office carpark this morning and I asked them, and they told me that if I was caught in a bus lane during operational times and the blue and white sign did not state that motorcycles were allowed, Id still get nicked as no other sign permits bikes usage by law. Any trials would not be recognised by a court if the signage was not legal.... Its really bugging me what these signs mean now...