About this bus lane
This 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.
One thing here is not settled, and it matters if you ride. The council's sealed order designates this a bus only street, and the exemptions it grants to bus only streets are narrower than the ones it grants to its bus lanes — buses, scheduled local services, emergency vehicles, pedal cycles and electrically assisted pedal cycles, with no exemption for motorcycles or taxis.
The council's freedom of information answers, by contrast, name motorcycles as permitted here, and it restated that in August 2026 in a second answer that corrected several other errors in the first — so it is not a slip. The narrower list is shown above because it is the one written into the order a penalty charge would be issued under.
Do not ride through on the strength of the other answer without checking the sign. 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 16 and Schedule 2 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
- Vehicles on a scheduled local service
- Pedal cycles
- Electrically assisted pedal cycles
- Emergency vehicles
This list may be incomplete. Bedford Borough 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 lane names the exemptions and is the legal authority.
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Taxis
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
The Highway, Shortstown. 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 Highway bus lane?
The Highway Bus Lane 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 Highway 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 Highway bus lane?
Buses, vehicles on a scheduled local service, pedal cycles, electrically assisted pedal cycles and emergency vehicles are permitted. Bedford Borough Council 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, lorries, motorcycles, taxis and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from The Highway 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.