About this bus lane
Southbound Parliament Street carries two short bus lanes made by a different Order from the northbound one, and they permit a wider set of vehicles: buses, hackney carriage taxis and pedal cycles may all use them. The first covers the whole width of the southerly offshoot from Owen Road for about 40 metres; the second runs down the east side from about 70 metres south of Owen Road to Bulk Road, about 116 metres.
Both apply on any day at any time. The Order defines a taxi as a vehicle licensed under Section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, which is a hackney carriage — private hire vehicles are not covered by that exemption.
Lancashire County Council did not include this lane when it listed its camera-enforced bus lane locations in August 2026, so it appears not to have a camera on it — but the restriction itself is live and a police officer or civil enforcement officer can still act on it. 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 4 and Schedule 3, in force 3 June 2019.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Hackney carriage taxis
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Parliament Street southbound, from Owen Road to Bulk Road, Lancaster. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN here?
Lancashire County Council's own list of camera-enforced sites does not include this one, so a camera PCN from this location would be unexpected — check the notice carefully and make sure it names the road you were actually on. If it does, it is still £70, reduced to £35 within 21 days, and our step-by-step appeal guide covers the grounds that actually win. The restriction itself is not optional: the traffic order is in force and the police keep their own power to act.
Frequently asked questions
What are the operating times of the Parliament Street bus lane?
The Parliament Street Bus Lane (southbound) 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, pedal cycles and hackney carriage taxis are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and private hire vehicles.
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.