About this bus gate
Introduced during the Cumberland Road stabilisation works — camera-enforced since 2025.
Bristol City Council publishes an exact exemption table for every bus gate in the city, confirmed here: buses, emergency vehicles and bicycles may always pass; taxis and motorcycles are also exempt at Cumberland Road specifically, but HGVs are not. The council states all Bristol bus gates operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Private hire vehicles are not addressed separately in the council's table, so their status here is unconfirmed — the general page mentions PHV as a possible exemption at some sites, but Cumberland Road's own row doesn't list it.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Emergency vehicles
- Bicycles
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- HGVs
Where exactly is it?
Cumberland Road, Bristol (eastbound, near Gaol Ferry Bridge). 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 Cumberland Road bus gate?
The Cumberland Road Bus Gate in Bristol operates 24 hours a day, every day. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Cumberland Road 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 Cumberland Road bus gate?
Buses, emergency vehicles, bicycles, taxis and motorcycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and hGVs.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Cumberland Road 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.