About this bus lane
The restriction applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and buses, pedal cycles, hackney carriages and licensed private hire vehicles may use it. Camera enforcement began in June 2026, making this the newest of Gateshead's four camera-enforced sites.
An earlier naming discrepancy is now resolved: the council's published list called this site "High Street, Gateshead" while a previous freedom of information response called it "High Street North, Gateshead". Gateshead Council's response to request FOI 68380, answered 5 August 2026, gives the formal current name as "High Street (Northbound) Bus Lane" and confirms the June 2026 start date, which matches the northbound carriageway described here.
Transcribed from Gateshead Council's bus lane enforcement page and its responses to Freedom of Information requests FOI 68296 and FOI 68380.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Hackney carriages
- Authorised vehicles (licensed private hire)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
High Street, Gateshead — the outside lane of the northbound carriageway from a point 248 metres north-west of the junction with Jackson Street, running north-west for 30 metres. 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 High Street bus lane?
The High Street Bus Lane (Gateshead) in Gateshead 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 High Street bus lane?
Gateshead 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 High Street bus lane?
Buses, pedal cycles, hackney carriages and authorised vehicles (licensed private hire) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the High Street bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Gateshead Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Gateshead 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: Gateshead Council accepted 2% of the 4,443 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 52 that went on to the tribunal, 63 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.