Bus lane enforcement
We have the power to enforce bus lanes under the Transport Act 2000 (opens new window).
Why we enforce bus lanes
We enforce bus lanes to make sure they are properly used, and that their benefits are maximised. These include:
- increased bus service reliability
- improved bus passenger journey times
- encouraging the use of sustainable public transport, further reducing congestion and pollution on and near our roads
Reasons to be in a bus lane
There are times when it will be permitted for an unauthorised vehicle to enter a bus lane. These are:
- when directed to do so by a police officer
- to make way for an emergency services vehicle
- when crossing a bus lane to enter or leave the road, such as accessing a driveway or parking lay-by
- to avoid danger such as a collision or debris in the road
- owing to circumstances genuinely beyond the driver's control
Every driver is responsible for making sure they comply with all traffic regulations. Being new to the area or following what your satnav says is not an acceptable excuse for contravening traffic regulations. You will still be held responsible, and this will not be accepted as a reason for challenging the PCN.
Always check the signs at the start of a bus lane before entering to avoid getting a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Bus lane enforcement in Gateshead
Cameras may be at any of the locations listed below. Following changes to regulations under the Traffic Management Act 2004, with effect from 31 May 2022 the penalty charge is £70. The cameras we use are certified as required by the Secretary of State (PDF) [60KB] .
Northumbria Police continue to have their powers to enforce bus lanes.
If you drive in a bus lane in a vehicle that is not exempt, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
You can choose to pay or appeal if you believe one of the prescribed grounds applies. Instructions on how to do this are on the PCN.
Some vehicles are exempt and can drive in bus lanes. Details of these vehicles are below and on signs at the start of each bus lane.
Please note that different rules apply at different locations. In particular, we allow taxis and private hire vehicles to use some bus lanes but not others. Signage at each location says which vehicles may use them. Emergency services vehicles are always exempt.
Permitted vehicles
The types of vehicles which may or may not use bus lanes are defined within a TRO or within the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, which also specifies what bus lane signage may contain.
For the purposes of bus lanes within the Borough of Gateshead, the definitions set out below will apply throughout the borough.
In addition, a general exemption will apply to any police, fire brigade or ambulance vehicle which is on operational duty (not just when blue lights are being used).
| Vehicle type | Legal definition |
|---|---|
| Authorised vehicle | Private Hire Vehicle which is operating under a licence issued pursuant to section 55 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and is displaying a valid licence plate. |
| Bus | A motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than 8 passengers (exclusive of the driver); or a local bus |
| Hackney carriage | A vehicle licensed under either section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 or section 6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869 |
| Local bus | A public service vehicle used for the provision of a local service not being an excursion or tour |
| Pedal cycle | A unicycle, bicycle, tricycle or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle that is not treated as a motor vehicle for the purposes of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 |
| Taxi | Please refer to 'hackney carriage' |
Bus lanes subject to civil enforcement
As a result of The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions Designation Order 2016, the entire Borough of Gateshead is both a civil enforcement area and a special enforcement area, with the exception of the following roads within the borough (these are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Transport):
- A1(M)
- A1(T)
- 194(M)
Subject to the statutory TRO making process, it is proposed that civil enforcement will begin with one or more of the following bus lanes. View these on this bus lane enforcement map (PDF) [18MB] .
There are already bus priority lanes at all of these locations, although some of the definitions are being changed to facilitate enforcement.
The locations listed below are intended to help road users. The omission of a location from this list does not prevent its enforcement, nor does the inclusion of a location mean that it is subject to camera enforcement at all times.
| Road name | Detailed description | Permitted vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| A184 Felling Bypass and Felling Bypass to Lingey lane Westbound Slip Road | The inside lane of the eastbound carriageway from a point 76 metres east of the junction with Lingey Lane in a easterly then northerly direction and then continuing on the westbound carriageway of the A184, Felling Bypass to a point 37 metres east of the junction with Heworth Roundabout. | Local buses |
| A694 Spa Well Road | The inside lane of the northbound carriageway from a point 89 metres south of the centre point of the roundabout at its junction with Hexham Road / Shibdon Road in a south-westerly direction for a distance of 558 metres | Buses Pedal cycles Hackney carriages Authorised vehicles |
| Askew Road, north side (eastbound) | From its junction with High Street in a westerly direction for a distance of 84 metres, and from a point 128 metres west of its junction with High Street in a westerly direction for a distance of 46 metres | Local buses |
| High Street, Gateshead | The outside lane of the northbound carriageway from a point 248 metres north-west of its junction with Jackson Street in a north-westerly direction for 30 metres | Buses Pedal cycles Hackney carriages Authorised vehicles |
| High Street, Wrekenton | The eastern lane between its junctions with Springwell Avenue and Wrekenton Row | Buses Pedal cycles |
| High Street, Wrekenton | The western lane from a point 15 metres north of its junction with the northern kerbline of Wrekenton Row in a northerly direction for 11 metres | Buses Pedal cycles |
| High West Street, Gateshead | Northbound carriageway, from a point 104 metres north of the junction with Warwick Street, extending in a northerly direction to the junction with the A184 Regent Street, for a distance of 59 metres | Local buses Pedal cycles |
| South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays | The entire carriageway from a point 165 metres west of its junction with Mill Road in a westerly direction for 112 metres | Buses Pedal Cycle Hackney Carriage Authorised Vehicles |
| West Central Route A184 | The inside lane of the northbound carriageway from a point 97.5 metres north-east of the junction with Mulgrave Terrace in a north-easterly then northerly direction for 163.5 metres, then continuing in the central lane of that highway in a north-westerly direction for 34 metres | Buses Pedal cycles |
For general queries, email buslaneenforcement@gateshead.gov.uk. Communications regarding the Traffic Regulation Order must be dealt with in line with the statutory process once it is advertised. This email address cannot be used to submit an appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice - please follow the process set out in the Notice.
While care has been taken to ensure accuracy, in the event of any conflict between the information contained here and a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) or legislation, then the provisions of the TRO or legislation will prevail.
Contact us
Traffic Planning Section
Gateshead Council
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
0191 433 7000
buslaneenforcement@gateshead.gov.uk (this email address must not to be used for appeals against bus lane PCNs, which should instead be sent to PCNChallenges@gateshead.gov.uk)