About this bus lane
Nearly two kilometres of bus lane on the north side of Morecambe Road, running east from the Bay Gateway towards Owen Road past Scale Hall. Buses and pedal cycles only, on any day at any time — taxis have no exemption on this stretch, although they do on the southbound Parliament Street lanes made by the same Order.
Lancashire County Council runs two cameras along it, which it records as the eastbound site and the Ovangle Road site, both enforcing since 3 June 2019. Between them they issued 364 tickets in 2025/26.
Emergency vehicles on statutory duties, vehicles avoiding an accident, council vehicles that cannot use another road, vehicles clearing an obstruction, Royal Mail vans collecting or delivering letters next to the lane, and vehicles working on the street or its utilities are all separately exempt.
Lancashire County Council enforces its bus lanes with static ANPR cameras and charges £70, halved to £35 if paid within 21 days and rising to £105 once a charge certificate is served.
Transcribed from the Lancashire County Council (Morecambe Road, Owen Road, Parliament Street and Scale Hall Lane, Lancaster, Lancaster City) (Revocation, Bus and Cycle Lane and Bus Taxi and Cycle Lane) Order 2019, Article 3 and Schedule 2 paragraph (a), in force 3 June 2019.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Morecambe Road eastbound, from 270 metres south-east of Bay Gateway to 120 metres west of Owen Road, Lancaster. 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 Morecambe Road bus lane?
The Morecambe Road Bus Lane (eastbound, Scale Hall) in Lancaster operates any day at any time. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Morecambe Road bus lane?
Lancashire 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 Morecambe Road bus lane?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, taxis and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Morecambe Road bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Lancashire County Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Lancashire 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. Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.