About this bus lane
The order that creates this bus lane sets no operating times at all, so it is shown here as running around the clock — the cautious reading, and the one that keeps you out of trouble. It is the right-hand lane of Galgorm Road, with a solid white line on the north-west side and the kerb on the south-east.
Two things are worth knowing before you rely on this. First, the extent: the order runs the lane from the junction with North Road to the junction with the Pentagon, while the Department for Infrastructure's published list describes it as North Road to George Street — check the signs for where it actually starts and ends.
Second, the permitted vehicles: the order allows buses and nothing else, with a bus meaning a public service vehicle built or adapted to carry 12 or more passengers, so cycles, taxis and motorcycles are not named as exempt even though they are in most Northern Ireland bus lanes. That order dates from 1987, and a later consolidating order — The Bus Lanes Order (Northern Ireland) 2002 — is not published anywhere the public can read it, so it is possible the times or the list of permitted vehicles have since been widened.
The entry is therefore left marked unconfirmed. You may still drive in the lane where it is used for police, fire brigade, ambulance or medical purposes, on district council, Departmental or public utility business, to reach premises next to the lane or reachable only from it, or to load or unload at such premises where that can only reasonably be done from the lane.
The penalty is £90, halved to £45 if you pay within 14 days.
Transcribed from The Bus Lane (Galgorm Road, Ballymena) Order (Northern Ireland) 1987 (S.R. 1987 No. 189), made 9 April 1987 and in operation from 31 May 1987, Articles 2, 4 and 5.
Who can use it
- Buses
This list may be incomplete. Department for Infrastructure (NI) does not publish which vehicles are exempt here, so the above is only what its own material confirms. Other vehicles may also be permitted. The sign at the start of the bus lane names the exemptions and is the legal authority.
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
Where exactly is it?
Galgorm Road, Ballymena — North Road to George Street. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £45 within 14 days to halve the charge — or if the signage was unclear, the details are wrong, or you had a genuine reason to be in the lane, consider challenging it first. Our step-by-step appeal guide covers the grounds that actually win.
Frequently asked questions
What are the operating times of the Galgorm Road bus lane?
The Galgorm Road Bus Lane in Ballymena operates 24 hours a day, every day. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Galgorm Road bus lane?
Department for Infrastructure (NI) issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £90, reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Galgorm Road bus lane?
Buses are permitted. Department for Infrastructure (NI) does not publish a full list of exempt vehicles for this bus lane, so others may also be permitted — the sign at the start of it names the exemptions and is the legal authority. Not permitted: cars, vans and lorries.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Galgorm Road bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Bus lane PCNs in Northern Ireland are issued by APCOA on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure, so your representations go to the Parking Enforcement Processing Unit rather than to a council. If the Parking Enforcement Processing Unit rejects them it must issue a Notice of Rejection, and you can then appeal free within 28 days of that rejection to the Northern Ireland Traffic Penalty Tribunal. Its adjudicators are lawyers independent of the enforcing authority, and their decision is binding on both sides. This bus lane operates 24 hours, so "I was outside the operating times" is not open to you — the grounds that win here are that your vehicle was exempt, that the details on the PCN are wrong, or that the signage did not make the restriction clear. Note that paying the £45 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.