About this bus gate
The bus-only loop road built to turn Rainham station into a bus interchange.
Celtic Farm Road is one of two roads built in 2012 to create the Rainham Interchange beside Rainham station, and it is reserved for buses and cyclists at all times — there are no off-peak hours when other traffic may use it. It is also one-way, running from Old Station Lane to Ferry Lane.
Black cabs are not exempt: Transport for London asked during the 2012 consultation for taxis to be allowed in, and the council refused on the grounds that taxis stopping there would interfere with buses standing at the interchange, so the scheme went ahead as advertised. Drivers using it to cut through to the station are the usual contravention.
A fixed camera was installed on 24 January 2022 and the council has issued 1,922 penalty charge notices here under the bus gate contravention codes since then.
Transcribed from the London Borough of Havering Highways Advisory Committee report on the Rainham Interchange traffic regulation and parking scheme, 14 August 2012, and from the council’s CCTV camera list supplied under freedom of information request HAV-FOI-430917 in September 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Taxis and private hire vehicles
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Celtic Farm Road, one-way between Old Station Lane and Ferry Lane, Rainham, Havering, London. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £80 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 Celtic Farm Road bus gate?
The Celtic Farm Road Bus Gate in Havering operates at all times (permanent restriction). There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Celtic Farm Road bus gate?
London Borough of Havering issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Celtic Farm Road bus gate?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, taxis and private hire vehicles and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Celtic Farm Road bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to London Borough of Havering first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If London Borough of Havering rejects them it must issue a Notice of Rejection, and you can then appeal free to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators at London Tribunals. 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. Note that paying the £80 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.