About this bus lane
DfI lists this as operating eastbound (temporary). Enforced by DfI using fixed CCTV cameras and a mobile CCTV camera vehicle; traffic attendants deal with vehicles parked in bus lanes.
The days and times are shown on the signs at the start of the lane and at intervals along it, and where no times are stated the lane operates 24 hours. As a general pattern DfI says Belfast city centre lanes run 7am–7pm Monday to Saturday and lanes outside the city centre generally run 7.30am–9.30am and 3.30pm–6.30pm Monday to Friday, but that is not confirmed lane by lane.
DfI states the legislation for most bus lanes also allows permitted taxis, motorcycles and bicycles — check the sign for the lane you are using. The Department for Infrastructure was asked for its bus lane operating times and answered in August 2026 with a table of about 65 locations; this one is not in it, so the hours here are still unpublished.
That table is not a complete list of what is enforced — it also leaves out Donegall Square South, which the department names elsewhere in the same response as a fixed camera site. A further check of the statutory record in August 2026 found no bus lane order for this street at all: legislation.gov.uk lists a Northern Ireland bus lane order for every Belfast street that has a permanent one, and this street is not among them.
That fits the Department’s own description of the measure as temporary, and it is why no hours can be published for it here — read the signs at the start of the lane. DfI has since supplied Annex 1 to its response to information request DFI/2026-0452, a table of operating times and permitted classes for around 65 Belfast locations, and this road has no row in it — which is why the hours here are still not stated.
Note that this Annex is not a complete list of enforced locations: the same response names Donegall Square South as one of DfI's five fixed camera sites, yet Donegall Square South has no row in the Annex at all. Absence from the Annex therefore tells you nothing about whether a lane is enforced.
The hours and permitted classes for this lane have been asked for directly.
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?
Bruce Street, Belfast — Eastbound (temporary). 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 Bruce Street bus lane?
Department for Infrastructure (NI)'s published record gives the operating times of the Bruce Street Bus Lane in Belfast as “Not stated — check roadside signage” rather than a single time range, so the sign at the start of the lane is the definitive source.
How much is the fine for driving through the Bruce Street 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 Bruce Street 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 Bruce Street 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. The Department for Infrastructure does not publish this bus lane's operating times centrally, which makes signage the decisive issue: the restriction has to be signed clearly enough to be understood on approach, and unclear signage is a recognised ground of appeal. Note that paying the £45 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.