About this bus gate
ANPR bus gate enforced 24 hours. Permitted: local buses, taxis and licensed private hire (not private rental) and exempt emergency vehicles.
Enforcement here began on 2 April 2022. Oxfordshire County Council confirmed the enforcement start date in its response to freedom of information request 28118, answered on 12 August 2026.
Who can use it
- Local buses
- Taxis and licensed private hire
- Emergency vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Private rental vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Cornwallis Road (both directions), between Cornwallis Close and Campbell Road, Oxford. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £35 within 21 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 Cornwallis Road bus gate?
The Cornwallis Road Bus Gate in Oxford operates all day (24 hours). There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Cornwallis Road bus gate?
Oxfordshire County 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 Cornwallis Road bus gate?
Local buses, taxis and licensed private hire and emergency vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and private rental vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Cornwallis Road bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Oxfordshire County Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Oxfordshire County 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: Oxfordshire County Council accepted 89% of the 17,599 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 66 that went on to the tribunal, 7 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.