About this bus gate
Two 24/7 bus gates (near Oxford Street and New Bridge Street roundabout) plus two 7am-7pm bus-only-street sections (Grainger St–Grey St, and Carliol St–Pilgrim St). Camera enforcement covers the whole street.
Newcastle City Council’s current list of camera-enforced sites does not include this one, so there is no enforcement camera here. That is not permission to drive in it: the traffic order remains in force, the roadside sign is legally binding, and the council can enforce the restriction by other means.
Transcribed from Newcastle City Council’s response to Freedom of Information request 26698, dated 13 August 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
- Pedal cycles
- Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Market Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN here?
Newcastle City 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 Market Street bus gate?
The Market Street Bus Gate in Newcastle upon Tyne operates 24 hours a day, every day. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Market Street bus gate?
Newcastle City 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 Market Street bus gate?
Buses, taxis, motorcycles, pedal cycles and goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Market Street bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Newcastle City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Newcastle 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. This bus gate 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 approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. It is worth doing: Newcastle City Council accepted 41% of the 5,232 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 24 that went on to the tribunal, 1 succeeded (figures from its own FOI response). Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.