About this bus lane
Sourced directly from Portsmouth City Council's official open-data table of enforced bus lanes (via data.portsmouth.gov.uk).
A bus, taxi and cycle lane running eastbound at the Winston Churchill Avenue roundabout — the traffic order covers two consecutive stretches, one approaching the roundabout from Isambard Brunel Road and one continuing east towards Blackfriars Road. It applies around the clock.
Buses, licensed taxis and pedal cycles may use it at any time; private hire vehicles are not licensed taxis and are not exempt. The council's open data table lists this as an enforced location but leaves its hours and permitted-vehicle columns blank, so both come from the sealed order instead.
Transcribed from The Portsmouth City Council (Various Roads) (Bus Lanes and Bus Roads) Consolidation Order 2026, sealed 12 May 2026, Schedule 1 "Bus, Taxi and Cycle Lane", which gives the hours of operation as "All days, at any time", with the exemptions for licensed taxis, pedal cycles and buses set out in the order's exemptions article; published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal's traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Portsmouth/TRO-PO19-2025-2026.pdf.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Licensed taxis
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Winston Churchill Avenue, Between the Winston Churchill Avenue/Isambard Brunel Road roundabout and a point 17 metres east of the junction with Blackfriars Road, Portsmouth. 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 Winston Churchill Avenue bus lane?
The Winston Churchill Avenue Bus Lane in Portsmouth 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 Winston Churchill Avenue bus lane?
Portsmouth 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 Winston Churchill Avenue bus lane?
Buses, licensed taxis and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Winston Churchill Avenue bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Portsmouth City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Portsmouth 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 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: Portsmouth City Council accepted 73% of the 950 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 2 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.