About this bus lane
Kingsway runs 7am to 7pm, and after a year of the council's own records disagreeing that figure is now settled. Three records gave those hours: the schedule to its sealed 2014 consolidation order, the 2021 amendment to that order, and the photographs of the roadside signs the council deposited with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which show a bus lane sign reading "7am – 7pm" above a camera-enforcement sign.
Against them, its August 2026 freedom of information answer said the lane ran 24 hours a day. Asked to look again, the council accepted that several answers in that response were wrong and confirmed the 7am to 7pm hours.
Outside them the lane is open to all traffic. Camera enforcement dates from April 2016.
On who may use it the records agree: the signs show buses, taxis, motorcycles and pedal cycles, and the order adds scheduled local services, electrically assisted pedal cycles, emergency vehicles on a call, refuse vehicles 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.
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?
Kingsway, Bedford. 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 Kingsway bus lane?
The Kingsway Bus Lane in Bedford operates 7am to 7pm, every day. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the Kingsway 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 Kingsway 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 Kingsway 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. The grounds that win here are that your vehicle was not in the bus lane during its operating times (7am–7pm daily), that it was an exempt vehicle, 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.