Photo: Max W / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
In Great Britain you must not drive in a bus lane during its hours of operation unless the sign allows your vehicle. If the sign shows no times, the lane operates 24 hours a day. Bus lanes are usually enforced by camera, and fines are set by the local authority: £160 in London (£80 if paid early) and often £70 elsewhere in England, with no penalty points. This guide explains bus lane and cycle lane signs, when you can enter, and what the penalties are.
Key facts
- No times on the blue sign: the bus lane operates at all times.
- Bank holidays: restrictions apply as normal on days they are in force.
- You may enter a bus lane to stop, load or unload where this is not prohibited (Rule 141).
- Solid white line cycle lane: you MUST NOT drive or park in it during its hours (Rule 140).
- Advance stop line (bike box): when the light is red, you must wait behind the first stop line.
How to read a bus lane sign
The blue sign shows who may use the lane and when. Anyone not shown must keep out during the times on the sign.
| Sign shows | Who may use the lane |
|---|---|
| Bus symbol only | Local buses and any vehicle designed to carry 10 or more people including the driver |
| Bus symbol marked “local” | Only buses running a local service |
| Cycle symbol | Pedal cycles as well |
| Motorcycle symbol | Solo motorcycles as well |
| “Taxi” | Taxis as well (check local rules on private hire cars) |
| Times shown | Restriction applies only at those times. Outside them, anyone may drive in it. |
| No times shown | Lane operates at all times |
Bus lane road markings on the carriageway show where the lane starts. A Blue Badge does not let you drive in a bus lane.
Other bus signs and markings
- Break in the bus lane at a junction: other traffic may use the left-hand lane there to turn left only.
- Contraflow bus lane: buses travel against the flow in a one-way street. Never enter it.
- Bus gate: a short length of bus-only street, often camera-enforced.
- Bus stop with a broad yellow line: other vehicles must not stop there.
- Turning left across a bus lane: give way to vehicles using it, from either direction (Rule 183).
Cycle lanes: solid line or broken line?
| Lane | Marking | Rule for drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory cycle lane | Solid white line, with a blue sign that may show hours | You MUST NOT drive or park in it during its hours of operation. |
| Advisory cycle lane | Broken white line | Do not drive or park in it unless it is unavoidable. |
| Any cycle lane | Either | You MUST NOT park in it while waiting restrictions apply. Give way to cyclists in it, including those coming up behind you. |
| Contraflow cycling in a one-way street | Sign showing cycles allowed both ways, with or without a line | Expect cyclists coming towards you. |
Cyclists do not have to use cycle lanes or tracks, so expect them on the main road too.
Advance stop lines (bike boxes)
At some traffic lights there is a second stop line with a cycle symbol between the two. When the lights are red, drivers must wait behind the first line. Allow cyclists time and space to move off when the lights go green.
HOV lanes
High occupancy vehicle lanes work like bus lanes but also admit cars with enough people inside. A “2+” sign means the driver plus at least one passenger; “3+” means at least two passengers. You MUST NOT use one during its hours unless your vehicle qualifies (Rule 142).
Rule 142 also says designated lanes may or may not admit cycles, buses, taxis, licensed private hire vehicles, motorcycles or HGVs, so a vehicle allowed in one lane may be barred from the next. Following a taxi into a lane tells you nothing about whether your car is allowed. If you cannot read the sign in time, stay in the ordinary lane rather than swerving, and remember that qualifying for the lane does not remove the need for a safe gap to move into it.
Bus lane fines: how much?
Councils (and Transport for London on its own roads) enforce bus lanes, mainly with cameras, and send a penalty charge notice (PCN) to the registered keeper. Councils such as Newcastle and Birmingham state that a bus lane PCN carries no penalty points.
| Area | Penalty (as of November 2026) | If paid early |
|---|---|---|
| London (TfL roads and boroughs) | £160 | £80 within the discount period on the notice |
| Many English councils outside London (for example Lancashire, Manchester, Nottinghamshire) | £70 | £35, usually within 14 or 21 days |
Amounts and deadlines vary by council, and in Scotland and Wales. Check the notice and the council’s website. You can challenge a PCN with the council, then appeal to the independent tribunal named on the notice.
Common questions
Can I drive in a bus lane on a Sunday?
Only if the sign’s times exclude Sunday. If the sign shows no days, the times apply every day. If it shows no times at all, the lane is in force 24 hours.
Can I use a bus lane to turn left?
Where the bus lane has a break at a junction, you may use the left-hand lane there to turn left. Otherwise, stay out during its hours.
Can I pull into a bus lane to let an emergency vehicle pass?
Not during its hours. The Highway Code says let emergency vehicles pass while still complying with traffic signs, so do not drive into a bus lane just to get out of the way. See emergency vehicles behind you.
Do I get points for driving in a bus lane?
Councils that issue bus lane PCNs, such as Newcastle and Birmingham, say they carry no points. You pay the penalty charge only.
Can I park in a cycle lane?
Not in a mandatory (solid line) cycle lane during its hours, and not in any cycle lane while waiting restrictions apply.
Can taxis use bus lanes?
Only where the sign includes “taxi”.
Related: lane discipline, Highway Code rules for cyclists, yellow lines and red routes and driving alongside trams. Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- Department for Transport, “Know your traffic signs” (gov.uk), sections: Bus and cycle signs and road markings; Miscellaneous signs
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)” (gov.uk)
- Transport for London, “Pay a Penalty Charge Notice” and bus lane FOI response (tfl.gov.uk)
- London Councils, “London boroughs raise parking and traffic PCN levels for first time since 2011” (londoncouncils.gov.uk)
- Lancashire County Council, “Bus lane enforcement” (lancashire.gov.uk)
- Manchester City Council, “Bus lane rules: penalty charge notice” (manchester.gov.uk)
- Nottinghamshire County Council, “Bus lane fines” (nottinghamshire.gov.uk)
- Birmingham City Council, “Bus Lane Guidance and Information” (birmingham.gov.uk)
- Newcastle City Council, “Bus Lane Enforcement” (newcastle.gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Road users requiring extra care (204 to 225)” (gov.uk)