Taxi customers face excessive fares while waiting in traffic because cab drivers are not allowed to use a bus lane in Stevenston.

Jim McKerrell, director of TOA Taxis in Stevenston, said that he has complained to North Ayrshire Council numerous times about getting access to the bus lane but to no avail.

He told the Herald: “To our knowledge Stevenston’s the only place that doesn’t allow taxis on the bus lane. Some of the drivers are refusing to go and pick people up at peak times because it’s up to 25 minutes to do a five-minute job because they’re stuck in traffic. It’s causing excessive fares, it’s wasting petrol and releasing fumes because they’re sitting with their engines running.

“We’re leading up to the festive season again which is going to be more congested – when this lane [the bus lane] is totally empty. It’s going to impact the general public.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We have looked into the option of opening up the lane for taxi drivers and discussed this possibility with partners Police Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and the local bus operator.

“It was agreed that it would not be appropriate to amend the existing Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to allow taxis to use this relatively short bus lane.

“It was felt that we had to be absolutely consistent with all motorists and that it would be unfair on motorists and the bus operators – who carry a significant number of passengers – to allow taxi drivers to use the bus lane.

“As well as causing delays in public transport, it was also felt that general road users could become aggrieved by taxis driving in the bus lanes especially when off hire or not carrying passengers. This in turn could encourage abuse of bus lanes by other motorists.”