ALLOWING motorcyclists to use bus lanes could improve safety and help Worcester's traffic flow, according to a city councillor.

Councillor Simon Geraghty also proposed that taxis should be allowed to use the city's bus lanes.

His comments, following a development services policy and review committee meeting this week, were made after councillors expressed surprise at the minutes from a previous meeting of the committee which stated members had agreed to three bus lane proposals.

"We all agreed to defer it to the next meeting and were shocked to see the minutes had put in three decisions regarding bus lanes," said Mr Geraghty.

"We agreed on hackney carriages to use the bus lanes but members disagreed with each other on private taxis and motorcycles.

"By using bus lanes, motorcycles will be kept away from the traffic flow, as it's dangerous.

"By letting cabs use these bus lanes it encourages sensible vehicle usage without allowing a free-for-all."

At the meeting Coun Geraghty proposed that private hire vehicles, black cabs and motorbikes should be allowed to use all bus lanes, except those in Foregate Street.

The previous minutes from March stated that only black cabs could use city bus lanes except those in Foregate Street and Lowesmoor.

Coun Paul Denham disagreed with bus lanes being used by private hire cars.

"If you allow private hire vehicles in bus lanes it's a free-for-all," he said at the committee meeting.

"The motorist sees what appears to them to be a normal car and not a taxi. They think 'if they can do it so can I'."

Coun Geraghty suggested taking measures to make private hire taxis more visible after a suggestion from a council officer.

Four members voted against and three voted in favour of the new proposals for bus lane usage from 7am to 10pm and 3pm to 6pm, as opposed to 7am to 6pm as suggested in the minutes.

The new proposals will be put before a full council meeting next Wednesday.