A bus lane is marked on the road with a white line and the words "Bus Lane." In places where it has broken white lines, vehicles can cross it to turn left or go into a loading bay.
Bus lane orders are made under The Transport Act 2000 and enforced under The Bus Lane Contraventions Regulations 2005.
The rules and when they apply:
The times that bus lane rules apply are different in each place, but there will always be a sign - before it starts - about when the bus lane rules apply. If there are no times shown, the bus lane rules apply 24 hours a day.
When the rules apply, only certain vehicles can use a bus lane:
- buses (this means vehicles designed to carry a minimum of nine passengers, not including the driver)
- black cabs (Hackney carriages)
- bicycles.
If other vehicles use the bus lane during these times, they can get a fine.
How the rules are enforced
To enforce bus lane rules, cameras are used to record vehicles in the bus lanes. If a vehicle is caught on camera breaking these rules, a penalty charge notice (PCN) may be given.
Sometimes, you may have to use a bus lane because of an obstacle in the road, an emergency vehicle, or to avoid an accident. All recordings are checked for reasons like these. If you need to use the bus lane, do so only for as long as necessary.
- See a photo of the incident (allow 24 hours)