About this bus gate
The busiest single bus lane camera in Bristol — 122,569 penalty charge notices in five years, more than any other one camera the council operates.
A bus gate across High Street, running south-eastbound from the Baldwin Street junction down to Bristol Bridge, in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is the most heavily enforced single camera in the city: Bristol City Council issued 122,569 penalty charge notices here in the five years to March 2026, ahead of Cumberland Road on 90,884 and of the busiest of the Baldwin Street cameras on 73,910.
Only Baldwin Street as a whole, counting all four of its cameras together, comes to more. The figure fell from 36,193 in 2021/22 to 14,678 in 2024/25 and then rose again to 20,749 in 2025/26.
Buses, taxis (hackney carriages), solo motorcycles, pedal cycles and emergency vehicles may pass. Lorries may not, and that is worth knowing if you drive one, because the council does allow HGVs over 7.5 tonnes through the Baldwin Street gate a hundred metres away at the same junction, and through the Victoria Street gate at the other end of the bridge — this gate is the exception among the three.
Private hire vehicles are not addressed in the council's exemption table, so their status here is unconfirmed. One practical warning: the council names this single gate three different ways in its own records — "High Street and Bristol Bridge" on its published bus gates page, "High Street Junction Baldwin Street" in the bus lane list it released under freedom of information request 77300054, and "High Street (Junction Baldwin Street)(Bus Lane 4)" in its penalty data — so a notice may not use the wording you expect, and the bus lane numbers in particular are not unique identifiers, with several different cameras sharing the same number.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
- Pedal cycles
- Emergency vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- HGVs
Where exactly is it?
High Street, between Baldwin Street and Bristol Bridge, Bristol city 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 Bristol Bridge / High Street bus gate?
The High Street / Bristol Bridge Bus Gate in Bristol operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Bristol Bridge / High Street bus gate?
Bristol City 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 Bristol Bridge / High Street bus gate?
Buses, taxis, motorcycles, pedal cycles and emergency vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and hGVs.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Bristol Bridge / High Street bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Bristol City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Bristol City 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 gate 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 approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.