About this bus gate
The busiest enforcement point in Central Bedfordshire by a wide margin, and for years it generated more than half of the whole council's penalty charge notices. Only local buses, pedal cycles and vehicles the council has granted authorised-user status may pass, at any time of day.
Taxis and private hire vehicles are not exempt. The order also lets through ambulance, fire and police vehicles, anything under the direction of a police constable in uniform, Dial-a-Ride vehicles, the council's Civil Protection Unit in an emergency, a doctor answering an emergency call showing a green flashing light, and works vehicles that have the council's prior written consent.
Penalties have fallen steadily as drivers learn the layout — from 3,515 in 2021/22 to 1,395 in 2025/26, per Central Bedfordshire Council FOI 11352505 (response 18 August 2026), which also gives 4 July 2019 as the date enforcement began.
Transcribed from the Central Bedfordshire Council (Venus Avenue, Biggleswade) (Bus Gate) Order 2021, sealed 30 April 2021 and in operation from 21 May 2021, whose Schedule prohibits "Any Vehicle other than a Bus, Pedal Cycle, or Authorised Vehicle … at all times on all days".
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Emergency vehicles (in an emergency)
- Dial-a-Ride vehicles
- Authorised vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Taxis
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Venus Avenue, from about 55 metres north-west of its junction with Baden Powell Way to about 6 metres south-east of the centre of the junction with Ouse Way, on the Kings Reach estate, Biggleswade. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £35 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 Venus Avenue bus gate?
The Venus Avenue Bus Gate (Biggleswade) in Central Bedfordshire operates at all times, on all days. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Venus Avenue bus gate?
Central Bedfordshire Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Venus Avenue bus gate?
Buses, pedal cycles, emergency vehicles (in an emergency), Dial-a-Ride vehicles and authorised vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, taxis and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Venus Avenue bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Central Bedfordshire Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Central Bedfordshire 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. It is worth doing: Central Bedfordshire Council accepted 10% of the 189 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 28 that went on to the tribunal, 4 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.