Bus lane fine: how to appeal a bus lane or bus gate PCN
Bus lanes and bus gates are enforced by camera, so the Penalty Charge Notice arrives by post. Outside London a council bus lane PCN is £60 or £70, halved if paid within 21 days of service; in London it is £160; in Scotland each council sets its own amount. The posted notice is also your formal challenge window — here’s how to use it.
Where appeals go
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal ↗ — England outside London, and Wales
- London Tribunals ↗ — London boroughs and TfL
- Oxford traffic filters ↗ — trial from 28 September 2026
Bus lane PCNs — key facts
- England outside London
- £60 or £70 depending on the council’s band; half if paid within 21 days; +50% after a charge certificate
Source: legislation.gov.uk (SI 2022/71 Sch 3) · SI 2022/71, Schedule 3 · verified
- London
- £160 (boroughs and TfL); £80 if paid within 14 or 21 days — the PCN says which
Source: London Councils · from 7 April 2025 (boroughs) · verified
- Wales
- £60 or £70; half if paid within 21 days for a camera PCN
Source: legislation.gov.uk (WSI 2013/1969) · WSI 2013/1969 · verified
- Scotland
- Set by each council — Glasgow: £100, £50 if paid within 14 days; appeals to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland
Source: Glasgow City Council · current · verified
- Challenge window (England)
- 28 days from service of the PCN
Source: legislation.gov.uk (SI 2022/576 reg 6) · SI 2022/576, reg 6 · verified
- Independent appeal
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal (England outside London, and Wales); London Tribunals (London)
Source: Traffic Penalty Tribunal · current · verified
Bus lane or bus gate?
A bus lane is a lane reserved for buses — and, where the signs say so, other permitted vehicles such as cycles, taxis or motorcycles — usually with its hours shown on the signs. A bus gate is a short stretch of road, sometimes a whole street, that only buses and permitted vehicles may use; many operate around the clock. The law treats most of them the same way: a contravention of an order reserving the road for buses. Code 34 is “being in a bus lane”, and code 33 covers using a route restricted to certain vehicles.
City by city
Only what each council’s own pages say — always check the amount printed on your notice.
- Manchester — bus lane and bus gate PCNs are £70, £35 if paid within 21 days, rising to £105 if unpaid after 28 days. The Oxford Road bus gate is open only to buses, black cabs and cycles from 6am to 9pm.
- Sheffield — bus lane cameras went live on 1 June 2026: £70, £35 within 21 days, with warning notices only during the first month.
- Bristol — its bus gates are in use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its published charge for moving-traffic contraventions is £70 (£35 within 21 days).
- Oxford — the traffic filters trial starts on 28 September 2026 and applies to cars, including electric cars: £70, £35 within 21 days, £105 after 28 days, with a warning notice for a first offence in the first six months. Vans, motorbikes and lorries can pass at all times, and there are 20 types of permit.
- Glasgow — bus lane charge notices are £100, £50 if paid within 14 days; appeals go to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.
- London — £160, halved if paid within 14 or 21 days. TfL enforces bus lanes on its red routes, and boroughs on their own roads.
Is there a warning for a first offence?
Not as of right. The Department for Transport’s guidance says councils outside London should give a warning for a first moving-traffic contravention at a new camera for its first six months — that covers things like banned turns and box junctions, not bus lanes. Some councils choose to give warnings when new bus lane cameras go live anyway (Sheffield did for its first month, and Oxford does for its traffic filters), so check what your council announced.
Grounds for appealing a bus lane PCN
Camera PCNs come with footage — watch it before choosing your ground. These are the grounds that most often apply to bus lanes and bus gates.
- The signs or road markings were missing, obscured or didn’t show the hours or the permitted vehicles — or didn’t comply with the regulations.
- Your vehicle was permitted in the lane, or the lane wasn’t in operation at that time.
- You moved into the lane only to avoid an obstruction or to let an emergency vehicle pass.
- You were not the owner or keeper at the time, or the vehicle was used without your consent (stolen, or on cloned plates).
- The penalty was more than the amount that applies, or the council made a procedural mistake.
How to challenge it, step by step
- 1
Look at the footage
Ask to see the camera evidence and check the signs, the time and exactly what your vehicle did.
- 2
Mind the discount window
Outside London you have 21 days from service to pay half. In London the PCN says whether it is 14 or 21 days; in Glasgow it is 14.
- 3
Challenge the PCN itself within 28 days
A camera PCN is the formal notice — there is no separate Notice to Owner stage. Make your representations to the council, online or in writing, within 28 days of service.
- 4
Appeal if rejected
Appeal free within 28 days of the rejection to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (England outside London, and Wales), London Tribunals (London) or the First-tier Tribunal (Scotland).
Work out your bus lane PCN deadlines
The free calculator handles council camera PCNs in England, including the 21-day discount window and the date the notice counts as served.
Open the free calculator →Bus lane fine — frequently asked questions
How much is a bus lane fine?
Outside London, £60 or £70 depending on the council, halved if paid within 21 days of service. In London, £160, halved within 14 or 21 days. In Scotland each council sets its own amount — Glasgow’s is £100, or £50 within 14 days.
How long do I have to appeal a bus lane PCN?
In England, 28 days from the PCN being served to make representations to the council. If it rejects them, you have 28 days from the notice of rejection to appeal to the tribunal.
Is a bus gate the same as a bus lane?
Not quite — a bus lane is a lane beside general traffic, while a bus gate closes a stretch of road to everything but buses and permitted vehicles. Both are usually enforced by camera under the same rules, with code 34 (bus lane) or code 33 (a route restricted to certain vehicles).
Do I get a warning for a first bus lane offence?
Not as of right. The warnings in the Department for Transport’s guidance are for new moving-traffic cameras, not bus lanes — but some councils give warnings when new cameras go live, so check what yours announced.
What are the Oxford traffic filters?
A trial starting on 28 September 2026 that can run for up to 18 months. Cars, including electric cars, that pass a filter without a permit are fined £70, or £35 if paid within 21 days; a first offence in the first six months gets a warning notice. Vans, motorbikes and lorries can pass at all times.
Can I appeal if I only entered the bus lane briefly?
Entering to avoid an obstruction or to let an emergency vehicle pass is a recognised reason. Otherwise, check the footage, the signs and the lane’s hours — a lane that wasn’t in operation, or signs that didn’t comply, is a stronger ground than a brief entry alone.
Write your bus lane appeal
AppealIQ drafts your representations to the council — grounded in the rules for camera-enforced PCNs — and an appeal statement for the tribunal if they’re rejected.
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Related guides
AppealIQ is an independent service and is not connected to any council, Transport for London or the tribunals. This guide is general information, not legal advice; amounts and rules are shown with their source and the date we checked them — always go by the notice you received and the official site.