[fy20]

For those who aren't aware, bus lanes like this are often the only roads passing through city centres in the UK. The surrounding area is often a pedestrian area, with the only traffic being buses, registered taxis and emergency vehicles (delivery and utility vehicles are allowed in the early morning). The alternative route for regular traffic would be a few miles longer - which could mean 30 mins or more at rush hour.

[iso1631]

Vast majority of bus lanes are a dedicated lane down a multi lane road for pushbikes, buses, motorbikes (and for some stupid reason taxis). It effectively allows a bus with 50 people on to jump the queue.

In this particular case it is a "bus" only lane over the river, the diversion for non buses is less than a mile, and far less for almost any actual car journey (given that if you just wanted to cross the bridge you'd walk.

The far more problematic issue in Bath is the continued closure of Cleveland Place due to the bridge falling to bits.