About this bus lane
A contraflow bus lane on the south-west side of the A671 King Street, letting buses travel north-west between Union Street and Barn Street against the general flow. It applies around the clock.
Cycles and hackney carriages may use it at any time. Blue badge holders are not exempt.
Oldham Council's own list of camera-enforced locations, given in response to a freedom of information request answered on 11 August 2026, does not include this lane, and the five years of penalty data released with it record no penalty charge notices here. The bus lane restriction itself still applies under the traffic order and the police can enforce it, but the council does not appear to run a camera on it.
Transcribed from The Oldham – Bus Lanes Amendment Order 2017, Schedule 3 (contraflow bus lane), which gives the hours of operation as "24 Hours"; sealed 9 October 2017 and published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal's traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Oldham/The-Oldham-Bus-lanes-Amendment-Order-2017.pdf.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Hackney carriages
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
A671 King Street, Oldham. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN here?
Oldham 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 A671 King Street bus lane?
The A671 King Street Contraflow Bus Lane in Oldham 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 A671 King Street bus lane?
Oldham 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 A671 King Street bus lane?
Buses, hackney carriages and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the A671 King Street bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Oldham Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Oldham 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. It is worth doing: Oldham Council accepted 75% of the 532 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.