About this bus gate
Enforced from 5am to 10pm, so general traffic may pass between 10pm and 5am. This is the third camera-enforced bus gate on The Headrow, alongside the ones at Dortmund Square and at Vicar Lane West, and all three keep different hours — clearing one does not mean clearing the others.
The council gives the enforcement period without naming the days of the week; when asked in August 2026 which days applied at its other sites that are not enforced around the clock, it answered that they run seven days a week, but this gate was not on the list it was asked about, so the days here are the one detail still to confirm.
The camera has been enforcing since 18 May 2023 and issues far fewer penalties than it used to — 922 in 2023/24, 162 in 2024/25 and 6 in 2025/26. 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, start date and penalty counts confirmed by Leeds City Council’s response to freedom of information request FOI-002320, 24 August 2026.
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 eastbound at its junction with Oxford Place, Leeds city centre. View on Google Maps →
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 Oxford Place) in Leeds operates 5am to 10pm. 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 (5am–10pm), 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.