About this bus lane
DfI lists this as operating inbound/outbound (temporary). Buses, pedal cycles, motorcycles and permitted taxis may use it; private hire vehicles are not exempt.
Enforced by DfI using fixed CCTV cameras and a mobile CCTV camera vehicle; traffic attendants deal with vehicles parked in bus lanes. Great Victoria Street carries two separate restrictions with different hours.
Between Hope Street and the Europa Hotel it is a Belfast Rapid Transit lane running 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, and it is the one place in Belfast where every class of taxi may use the lane rather than Class B and D only. Between Donegall Road and Hope Street it is an ordinary bus lane running 7.30am to 9.30am and 3.30pm to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Which set applies depends entirely on which stretch you are in, so check the sign at the start of the lane rather than assuming the longer hours run the whole way. The Hope Street to Europa Hotel stretch is also the one place in Belfast where every class of taxi is permitted; on the Donegall Road to Hope Street stretch the usual Class B and D restriction applies.
The Department for Infrastructure set these hours out for this location in Annex 1 to its response to information request DFI/2026-0452, answered 17 August 2026 under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
Transcribed from The Bus Lanes (Belfast City Centre) Order (Northern Ireland) 2018 (S.R. 2018 No. 125), Article 3 and Schedule 1, the Schedule 1 entry for this street having since been re-made by S.R. 2024 No. 149 and again by S.R. 2025 No. 130 (which alter its extent, not its hours or permitted vehicles).
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Motorcycles
- Permitted taxis (Belfast-licensed hackney carriages)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Great Victoria Street, Belfast — Belfast Rapid Transit lane between Hope Street and the Europa Hotel; ordinary bus lane between Donegall Road and Hope Street. 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 Great Victoria Street bus lane?
The Great Victoria Street Bus Lane in Belfast operates 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday between Hope Street and the Europa Hotel; 7.30am to 9.30am and 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday between Donegall Road and Hope Street. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the Great Victoria 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 Great Victoria Street bus lane?
Buses, pedal cycles, motorcycles and Permitted taxis (Belfast-licensed hackney carriages) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Great Victoria 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 grounds that win here are that your vehicle was not in the bus lane during its operating times shown above, that it was an exempt vehicle, or that the signage did not make the restriction clear. Note that paying the £45 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.