Councils in cities blighted by congestion are being urged to allow prison vans to use bus lanes to help defendants reach court on time and prevent avoidable disruption for victims.
More than 1,000 court cases were delayed on the day they were due to be heard last year because defendants failed to arrive on time, wasting court capacity and leaving victims waiting longer for justice.
The government said one route already operating between HMP Forest Bank and Manchester Crown Court has cut journey times by up to a third, showing how simple changes can keep cases moving.
Courts Minister Sarah Sackman KC MP said: “Victims should not be left waiting because a defendant is stuck in traffic. Giving prison vans access to priority bus lanes is a simple but practical idea that could save valuable time. Common-sense changes like this help court staff get on with the job and help victims see the swifter justice they deserve.”
Following successful rollouts in Bristol, Salford and Nottingham, the government has written to other local authorities to push for wider adoption of the scheme nationwide.
The call comes as the government steps up plans to cut the record Crown Court backlog of 80,829 cases.
Prison vans, formally known as the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service, facilitate around 350,000 prisoner movements to court each year, making them a critical part of keeping the justice system running.
To support their work, the government has also established a new Prisoner Delivery Oversight Board, chaired by ministers, bringing together key partners from across the criminal justice system to identify and tackle the causes of delays and hold providers to account.
