State Duma deputies from the New People party have drafted a bill that would remove fines for drivers who use lanes reserved for public transport during night hours. This initiative comes as part of a broader effort to streamline nighttime city traffic amid ongoing road repair work and to reduce punitive measures for drivers who step into these lanes when conditions become tricky after dark. Observers note that the proposal aims to balance safety, efficiency, and practicality for motorists navigating temporarily altered routes [citation].
The proposed text references 12.17 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The explanatory note explains that the window from 00:00 to 06:00 should be considered a period when lane assignments may be less consistent due to maintenance work, road closures, and limited visibility. Advocates argue this clarification would prevent unnecessary penalties while still preserving the priority given to public transport during peak hours and in normal conditions [citation].
According to the document, the bill is currently being submitted to the government for feedback. The authors contend that eliminating fines for late-night lane usage would relieve drivers who must navigate restricted zones created by repairs, detours, or signage changes. They emphasize that many drivers enter these lanes briefly to reach safer or more navigable segments of the road, and that such crossings do not inherently slow public transit when managed correctly. This is presented as a sensible adjustment to policing that reflects real driving conditions rather than strict, blanket enforcement [citation].
Under the current framework, article 12.17 of the Administrative Offenses Code specifies penalties for entering a dedicated bus or transit lane: 3,000 rubles in Moscow and St. Petersburg, with a reduced fine of 1,500 rubles in other regions. The bill proposes removing or recalibrating these fines for nighttime use, arguing that the risk to public transport efficiency is minimized during when repairs are most active and lanes may be temporarily repurposed [citation].
The discourse around this topic has not been without controversy. Reports have circulated about drivers being pressured financially or otherwise pressured over alleged lane violations, raising concerns about enforcement practices and possible extortion tied to spontaneous penalties. This background underscores the push for a more nuanced approach to nighttime lane enforcement, one that distinguishes between deliberate abuse and legitimate, temporary navigation choices driven by road works and safety considerations [citation].
Previously, outlets noted incidents where a bus driver was reported to have violated traffic rules repeatedly within short timeframes, highlighting the challenges of enforcing lane restrictions in busy urban networks and the importance of context when assessing penalties and compliance. The current debate situates such anecdotes within a larger discussion about consistency, proportionality, and the evolving needs of modern urban mobility in an era of frequent repairs and dynamic traffic patterns [citation].