Labour councillor Worlding says he wants bus lanes kept empty – even when there are no buses to use them.

“Crazy U-Turn make no sense,” says Liberal Democrat leader David Franks.

The previous Liberal Democrat administration at the Town Hall agreed to open up bus lanes at times when they were not needed to give buses priority.

The local Private Hire Drivers’ Association asked the Council for a relaxation to help them get town centre revellers home safely and quickly in the evenings. The then Liberal Democrat led council decided their request was perfectly reasonable and made arrangements for the regulations to be changed.

All the legal processes were completed to make most of Luton’s bus lanes operate from 7am to 7pm leaving them open to other traffic in the evenings and through the night when there are very few buses.

“This was not an empty gesture,” said Lib Dem councillor David Franks. “It does actually open up routes which would not otherwise be available at all. In streets like Alma Link and Park Street West, for example, a 24-hour bus lane effectively bans most vehicles completely and there is no need for it.”

“I cannot understand why Labour councillor Worlding says he wants bus lanes kept empty when there are no buses to use them.”

“How much is it going to cost Council Tax payers to change the regulations back again? Some of the signs have already been changed so how much will it cost to change them back again? It is a complete waste of money, it will make peoples’ journeys longer than they need to be and will do nothing to ease traffic congestion in the town centre.”