About this bus lane
The marked left-hand lane heading north-east up Parliament Street towards Greyhound Bridge is a bus lane on any day at any time. Only buses and pedal cycles may use it; taxis are not exempt in this direction, although they are in the opposite one.
This lane is the first leg of a continuous bus and cycle lane that carries on across Greyhound Bridge Road and into Morecambe Road, all made by the same Order. Cameras have been enforcing this corridor since 28 October 2018, first under an experimental order and then under the permanent Order that took effect exactly a year later.
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 (Parliament Street, Greyhound Bridge Road and Morecambe Road, Lancaster, Lancaster City) (Bus Lane) Order 2019, Article 2 and Schedule paragraph (a), in force 28 October 2019.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Parliament Street north-east bound, from 105 metres south-west of Bulk Road to the left turn filter at Greyhound Bridge 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 Parliament Street bus lane?
The Parliament Street Bus Lane (northbound) 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 Parliament Street 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 Parliament Street bus lane?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, taxis and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Parliament Street 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.