About this bus gate
This is a bus gate, not a bus lane. Barnet Council stated on 10 September 2026 that there is no bus lane on Netherlands Road, but that it does enforce a no-entry-except-local-buses restriction here, which appears as location reference 53 on the council's published moving traffic contravention list.
So the restriction is real and it is enforced by camera — but as a moving traffic contravention rather than a bus lane one. Transport for London's London-wide bus lane database records a 24-hour bus lane on this road, and the hours shown above come from that record; the council has not published hours for the gate itself, so treat the roadside signs as the authority.
Nor has it published which vehicles other than local buses may pass. The borough-wide exemption for black cabs and pedal cycles that Barnet confirmed for its bus lanes was given for bus lanes specifically, and a no-entry-except-buses gate is a different restriction, so do not assume that exemption carries over here.
A penalty charge notice is £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. The reclassification is from Barnet Council's response to freedom of information request 18409260, dated 10 September 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
This list may be incomplete. Barnet Council 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 gate names the exemptions and is the legal authority.
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Taxis and private hire vehicles
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Netherlands Road, Barnet (EN5) — no entry except local buses. Open the exact location in Google Maps → Pin from Transport for London's own bus lane dataset.
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £80 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 Netherlands Road bus gate?
The Netherlands Road Bus Gate in Barnet operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Netherlands Road bus gate?
Barnet Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Netherlands Road bus gate?
Buses are permitted. Barnet Council does not publish a full list of exempt vehicles for this bus gate, 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, lorries, taxis and private hire vehicles and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Netherlands Road bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Barnet Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Barnet Council rejects them it must issue a Notice of Rejection, and you can then appeal free to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators at London Tribunals. Its adjudicators are lawyers independent of the enforcing authority, and their decision is binding on both sides. This bus gate 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 approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. It is worth doing: Barnet Council accepted 24% of the 2,383 formal challenges it received in 2025/26 (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £80 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.