Straw's limo in bus lane dodge to beat the traffic

Straw's limo in bus lane dodge to beat the traffic

by TAHIRA YAQOOB

Daily Mail

20th November 2002

Maybe Jack Straw has been spending too much time abroad - where very important people like himself rarely have to worry about traffic snarl-ups.

For being swept by limousine from airports in far-flung foreign capitals, while local drivers are kept firmly out of the way, appears to be habit-forming.

When the Foreign Secretary found himself in a traffic jam near his home, his chauffeur-driven Daimler sneaked into a bus lane to beat the gridlock.

It was a move that left rush-hour motorists seething - and added another chapter to the Government's patchy driving record.

Mr Straw was caught in a jam near Waterloo at 8.30am while being driven from his home in Kennington, South London, towards Westminster Bridge.

But while law-abiding road users stayed put and grumbled, his vehicle glided into the bus lane.

Ministers are only allowed to flout traffic laws in 'exceptional circumstances', such as being under threat of attack. Mr Straw did not appear in imminent danger.

He was spotted in the bus lane by Catriona Sutherland-Hawes, an aide to North Wiltshire Tory MP James Gray, and a former secretary to the Prince of Wales.

Mrs Sutherland-Hawes, who cycles to work every day, found her path blocked by Mr Straw's car.

She said: 'There is always someone who thinks they can save five minutes but it makes life very dangerous for cyclists. I always shout at offending drivers as I go past and make a point of glaring into the vehicle to shame them.

'This time it was Mr Straw sitting in the car. There was no sign of an emergency and no police escort - in fact he was reading the papers and did not look up.

'I shouted at him as I feel very strongly that you should lead by example if you are trying to encourage people to use public transport.'

Mr Gray, who tabled a question on the incident in the House of Commons, added: 'It sets an appalling example. It is wrong for him to abuse traffic bylaws.'

In a statement in reply to Mr Gray, Mr Straw said: 'The official vehicles in which I travel are driven by police officers who are subject to the same provisions of law as other officers in similar circumstances.'

Bus lanes in London are, usually, open to cyclists and black cabs but ordinary drivers face an £80 fine if they use them.

The bus lane incident is not Mr Straw's, or the Government's, first difficulty with transport issues.

Two years ago, when Home Secretary, Mr Straw's police driver was caught doing 103mph on the M5. He escaped prosecution after saying he was escaping a 'perceived threat'.

In 1999, the Prime Minister's motorcade was caught using the M4 bus lane to escape a hold-up.

And deputy premier John Prescott was nicknamed Two Jags for his failure to practise what he preaches on public transport.

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