About this bus lane
This is the only bus gate in Bolton, and it admits fewer vehicles than the borough’s bus lanes: buses, hackney carriages, cyclists and bus company support vehicles only. Unlike every Bolton bus lane, Royal Mail delivery vehicles and cash-in-transit security vehicles are NOT exempt here.
Ambulances, fire engines and police vehicles are exempt when responding to an emergency. It operates 24 hours.
This bus gate is Schedule 4 item 1 of the Order, whose Permitted Vehicles column reads A1, A2, A3, A6 where every other schedule reads A1 to A6. Private hire vehicles are not permitted, and no Bolton bus lane admits motorcycles.
Transcribed from the Bolton (Bus Lanes and Bus Gateways) (Consolidation) Order 2015 (sealed 17 July 2015), Article 3(2), which decodes the Permitted Vehicles column of Schedules 2, 3 and 4 as A1 a bus, A2 a taxi which is not at the time operating as a private hire vehicle, A3 a pedal cycle in actual use, A4 a Royal Mail liveried vehicle engaged in collection or delivery of letters, A5 a purpose-built security vehicle carrying bullion, cash or high-value commodities, and A6 a bus company support vehicle; "taxi" is defined as a hackney carriage licensed by the Council under section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 (tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Bolton/The-Bolton-Bus-Lanes-and-Bus-GatewayConsolidation-Order-2015.pdf).
Who can use it
- Buses
- Taxis (hackney carriages only — not private hire)
- Pedal cycles
- Bus company support vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
Where exactly is it?
Deansgate, between Bradshawgate and Crown Street, Bolton town centre. 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 Deansgate bus lane?
The Deansgate Bus Lane in Bolton operates all day all hours. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Deansgate bus lane?
Bolton 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 Deansgate bus lane?
Buses, taxis (hackney carriages only — not private hire), pedal cycles and bus company support vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans and lorries.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Deansgate bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Bolton Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Bolton 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: Bolton Council accepted 13% of the 1,446 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 21 that went on to the tribunal, 2 succeeded (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.