About this bus lane
This lane runs on the citybound carriageway from about 45 metres north of Donegall Road up to Great Victoria Street, and it operates on weekday peaks only — 8am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Outside those hours any vehicle may use it.
The permitted list here is narrower than most Belfast bus lanes, and that is the trap: the order allows buses and pedal cycles and nothing else, so taxis and motorcycles are not exempt even though the Department for Infrastructure says the legislation for most of its bus lanes does allow them.
A bus means a public service vehicle built or adapted to carry 12 or more passengers. You may still drive in the lane where it is reasonably necessary for access to or from premises next to it, for police, military, fire brigade or ambulance purposes, on Departmental business under statutory powers, or in connection with the supply of electricity or a telegraphic line.
Enforced by the Department using fixed CCTV cameras and a mobile CCTV camera vehicle. The penalty is £90, halved to £45 if you pay within 14 days.
Transcribed from the Bus Lanes (Shaftesbury Square and Great Victoria Street, Belfast) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996 (S.R. 1996 No. 531), made 12 November 1996 and in operation from 20 January 1997, Articles 2 to 4 and paragraph 1 of the Schedule; the Order has not been revoked by the Bus Lanes (Belfast City Centre) Order (Northern Ireland) 2018, whose own list of revocations does not mention it.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
Where exactly is it?
Shaftesbury Square, Belfast — Inbound. 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 Shaftesbury Square bus lane?
The Shaftesbury Square Bus Lane in Belfast operates 8am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the Shaftesbury Square 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 Shaftesbury Square bus lane?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans and lorries.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Shaftesbury Square 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.