About this bus gate
Evening peak only — 4pm to 7pm. At every other time, including the morning peak, general traffic may pass.
It is the eastern of the two camera-enforced bus gates on The Headrow. Leeds City Council confirmed in August 2026 that these times apply seven days a week — there is no day on which the restriction lifts.
Leeds City Council publishes one permitted-vehicle list covering all of its camera-enforced bus lanes and gates: buses (which it defines as any vehicle built to carry more than 13 passengers), the city’s black-and-white livery hackney carriages, emergency service vehicles, bicycles, and vehicles pre-authorised by the council.
Private hire vehicles — app-booked minicabs — are not on that list and are not exempt. Location, enforcement period, permitted vehicles and map position confirmed by Leeds City Council’s response to freedom of information request FOI-001942, 11 August 2026, and the days of the week by its response to FOI-002548, 24 August 2026.
This page previously showed 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm, transcribed from the Traffic Regulation (Movement Restriction) (No.M14) Order 2012 (Amendment No.3 2021) as a length running from Albion Street to Upper Basinghall Street. The council’s 2026 camera list gives the enforcement period for this site as 4pm to 7pm only, and that is what is shown here.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Black cabs (hackney carriages)
- Emergency service vehicles
- Pedal cycles
- Pre-authorised vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
The Headrow at the western side of its junction with Vicar Lane, Leeds city centre. Open the exact location in Google Maps → Pin from Transport for London's own bus lane dataset.
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £35 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 Headrow bus gate?
The Headrow Bus Gate (at Vicar Lane West) in Leeds operates 4pm to 7pm, 7 days a week. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through The Headrow bus gate?
Leeds City Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use The Headrow bus gate?
Buses, black cabs (hackney carriages), emergency service vehicles, pedal cycles and pre-authorised vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from The Headrow bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Leeds City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Leeds City 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. The grounds that win here are that your vehicle was not in the bus gate during its operating times (4–7pm daily), that it was an exempt vehicle, or that the approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. It is worth doing: Leeds City Council accepted 23% of the 6,384 formal challenges it received in 2025/26 (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.