About this bus gate
A bus gate running from the Horsefair Square access road to the entrance of the Waterdale Underground Car Park. The Order sets no time-of-day limit, so the restriction applies at any time — this replaces the council webpage’s vaguer statement that restrictions apply “whilst ever there are active bus services”.
As a Schedule 1.01 bus gate, motorcycles are not exempt here. One of the seven ANPR camera sites listed by City of Doncaster Council.
Transcribed from the Doncaster Borough Council (Various Roads, Doncaster) (Bus Lanes and Bus Gates) (Consolidation) Order 2022 (ref L/88639, in force 3 June 2022), supplied by the council in response to FOI 71478 (30 July 2026).
Who can use it
- Bicycles
- Buses and vehicles with seats to carry eight people excluding the driver
- Liveried emergency service vehicles (on duty)
- Hackney carriages and licensed private hire vehicles (on duty)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Waterdale, Doncaster 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 Waterdale bus gate?
The Waterdale Bus Lane in Doncaster operates at any time. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Waterdale bus gate?
City of Doncaster 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 Waterdale bus gate?
Bicycles, buses and vehicles with seats to carry eight people excluding the driver, liveried emergency service vehicles (on duty) and hackney carriages and licensed private hire vehicles (on duty) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Waterdale bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to City of Doncaster Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If City of Doncaster 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: City of Doncaster Council accepted 41% of the 2,684 formal challenges it received in 2025/26 (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.