About this bus lane
The bus lane runs at all times — the council's sealed order gives no hours for it, which under that order means the restriction never lifts. Camera enforcement here dates from April 2016.
The order exempts buses and vehicles on a scheduled local service, taxis, motorcycles and any attached sidecar, pedal cycles and electrically assisted pedal cycles, emergency vehicles on a call, refuse vehicles collecting from premises beside the lane, and any vehicle the council has given permission to.
Bedford is unusual in exempting private hire vehicles as well as hackney carriages: the order exempts "a taxi whether it be Hackney carriage or Private hire", where most councils exempt hackney carriages only. The council's first freedom of information summary for this site named buses, taxis, motorcycles and emergency vehicles and left the cycles out.
It has since confirmed that pedal cycles are permitted wherever motorcycles are, which brings its answer into line with the sealed order shown here. One oddity to know about: the council states that this lane runs into Kempston Road in Bedford and that the camera sits on that stretch rather than this one, which is why this road has no row of its own in the penalty figures it publishes.
It is still on the council's list of enforced sites and the restriction is still in force, and driving the length of it takes you into the camera's view — so treat it as enforced. Bedford Borough Council's enforcement page describes a single static approved camera that it moves between bus lanes, but the penalty figures it released report tickets issued at nine Bedford sites concurrently in every year since 2021/22 — so treat any of them as capable of being enforced at any time.
The council publishes the £70 penalty; the £35 / 21-day discount is the statutory England default and is not stated on the council page.
Transcribed from Article 9 and Schedule 1 of the sealed Bedford Borough Council (Bus Lanes and Bus Only Streets, The Borough of Bedford) Consolidation Order 2014, deposited with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as document BF178, and from Bedford Borough Council's responses to freedom of information requests RFI-08950, 10 August 2026, and RFI-09398, 21 August 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Minibuses with 10 or more seats including the driver
- Taxis
- Private hire vehicles
- Motorcycles
- Pedal cycles
- Electrically assisted pedal cycles
- Emergency vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
Where exactly is it?
Bedford Road, Kempston. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £35 within 21 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 Bedford Road bus lane?
The Bedford Road Bus Lane (Kempston) in Bedford 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 Bedford Road bus lane?
Bedford Borough Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Bedford Road bus lane?
Buses, minibuses with 10 or more seats including the driver, taxis, private hire vehicles, motorcycles, pedal cycles, electrically assisted pedal cycles and emergency vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans and lorries.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Bedford Road bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Bedford Borough Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Bedford Borough Council rejects them it must issue a Notice of Rejection, and you can then appeal free to the 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. It is worth doing: Bedford Borough Council accepted 57% of the 745 formal challenges it received in 2025/26 (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.