HOV lanes may not solve traffic problems

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes - commonly called car-sharing lanes - may not offer the best solution to traffic congestion, the AA has said.

A trial in Leeds showed that almost one in ten motorists abused the HOV lane, and trials in other countries found that drivers used life-sized dolls to try to fool the monitoring equipment. In the US, hitchhikers were discovered charging motorists to become their passengers.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "In theory car share lanes make sense but in practice they are underused and abused.

"Hence they waste road capacity and are a nightmare to enforce. Often it is more effective for companies to encourage car sharing amongst staff rather than highway authorities designate lanes where they want us to car share. In practice the lanes just get used by those who would have been sharing anyway and therefore do not reduce congestion."

Holidaymakers and tourists may encounter HOV lanes this year. The Highways Agency is launching new HOV trials in Birmingham, the M606 in West Yorkshire and Hertfordshire (M1 junctions seven to ten).

Its website advises: "Vehicles that can use the HOV lane are cars with two or more people in them - including when towing a trailer or caravan. HGVs will not be allowed to use the HOV Lane."

25/02/2008 11:21:54