About this bus gate
A peak-hours bus gate operating 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm. This is the southern of two camera-enforced bus gates on Vicar Lane, towards the Kirkgate end; the northern one, at Harrison Street, runs around the clock.
Clearing one is not clearing the other. 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.
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?
Vicar Lane at its junction with Ludgate Hill, 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 Vicar Lane bus gate?
The Vicar Lane Bus Gate (at Ludgate Hill) in Leeds operates 7am to 10am and 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 Vicar Lane 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 Vicar Lane 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 Vicar Lane 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 (7–10am, 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.