About this bus lane
Camera-enforced since 1 November 2011, at the same time as neighbouring Globe Lane, and in force 24 hours a day. Waterfront Way runs into Chatham Waterfront bus station.
Buses, taxis and cycles may use it. This is the busiest of Medway's older cameras in recent years — 1,909 penalty charge notices in 2025/26 against 780 in 2021/22.
Deposited as part of the Chatham Town Centre bus priority orders on Medway Council's statutory traffic regulation order register. Medway Council publishes no list of its bus lane camera sites anywhere on its own website, and the deposited traffic regulation orders on the statutory register are scanned images with no readable text.
Transcribed from Medway Council's response to Freedom of Information request FOI006079, answered 7 August 2026, which supplied the hours, permitted vehicles and camera start date.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Taxis
- Cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Waterfront Way, Chatham. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £30 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 Waterfront Way bus lane?
The Waterfront Way Bus Lane in Chatham 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 Waterfront Way bus lane?
Medway Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Waterfront Way bus lane?
Buses, taxis and cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Waterfront Way bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Medway Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Medway 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: Medway Council accepted 14% of the 526 formal challenges it received in 2025/26 (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £30 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.