Electric cars banned from some bus lanes

From June 2nd until 2020, a number of tunnels in the Oslo area will be upgraded. This will lead to a significant reduction in road network capacity. On Ring 3, during periods with the most work, there will be a capacity reduction of 55%.

Limited alternative routes mean that bus lanes must be kept open for public transport and emergency services. Therefore, electric cars will be banned from several bus lanes.

Work begins on upgrading the Smestad tunnel on June 1st. A dedicated bus lane will be built past the construction area. This will not be open to electric cars.

The Public Roads Administration has made the following decisions:

Ring 3 - Electric cars will not have access to the bus lane

<b>E18</B> - No electric cars in the bus lane between 06:00 - 09:00 inbound (east) / Vækerø-Filipstad and in the same area 14:00 – 18:00 outbound (west)

The situation will be assessed going forward. Toward autumn, there is a high probability that electric cars will also be banned from the bus lane on the Lysaker-Sandvika stretch.

This doesn't necessarily mean that all bus lanes will soon be closed to electric cars, but it is a clear indication that the Public Roads Administration is taking the issue seriously, and that electric car density now poses an increasing challenge for traffic flow in bus lanes.