About this bus lane
The bus lane runs about 190 metres on Onslow Street, from the island site near Woodbridge Road south to the Friary service centre exit. It operates at any time of the day or night, throughout the week.
Until 3 December 2021 it ran 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday; the restriction was extended to around the clock from Saturday 4 December 2021, so older signs, maps and guides showing daytime-only hours are out of date. Buses, pedal cycles and licensed hackney carriages may use it, along with emergency vehicles, refuse and utility works vehicles and Royal Mail vehicles mid-round; there is no exemption for private hire vehicles or motorcycles.
The exemption for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes was removed by the 2021 order. You may also cross the lane to enter or leave the service road or an adjoining access way, and to let a passenger with a disability board or alight.
Surrey County Council supplied both orders in its response to Freedom of Information request 15136597 on 17 August 2026; it does not hold the date camera enforcement began, which it attributes to the former Guildford Borough Council.
Transcribed from The County Council of Surrey Onslow Street (A322) Guildford (Bus Lane) (No. 1) Order 2004, Articles 4 and 5, as amended by The Surrey County Council (Onslow Street (A322) and Woodbridge Road (A322) Guildford) (Amendment of Bus Lanes) (No. 2) Order 2021, Article 3.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Hackney carriage taxis
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Onslow Street, Guildford. 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 Onslow Street bus lane?
The Onslow Street Bus Lane in Guildford operates at any time of the day or night, throughout the week. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Onslow Street bus lane?
Surrey County 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 Onslow Street bus lane?
Buses, pedal cycles and hackney carriage taxis are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Onslow Street bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Surrey County Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Surrey County 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: Surrey County Council accepted 27% of the 2,421 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 55 that went on to the tribunal, 16 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.