About this bus gate
A ten-metre bus gate on the eastbound carriageway of Fishergate, just past Butler Street. Only buses and pedal cycles may pass it, and it applies at all times — the Order sets no operating hours, so there is no window when other traffic may drive through.
Taxis are not exempt here, unlike on the bus-only sections of Fishergate further east. Emergency vehicles on statutory duties, vehicles avoiding an accident, council vehicles that cannot use another road, vehicles clearing an obstruction, Royal Mail vans collecting or delivering letters next to the lane, and vehicles working on the street or its utilities are all separately exempt.
This is the longest-standing camera on Fishergate: the council dates enforcement here to 30 October 2016. Lancashire County Council enforces its bus lanes with static ANPR cameras and charges £70, halved to £35 if paid within 21 days and rising to £105 once a charge certificate is served.
Transcribed from the Lancashire County Council (Preston City Centre, Preston City) (Revocation and Bus Lanes) Order 2019, Article 3 and Schedule 2, in force 28 January 2019, and from Lancashire County Council's August 2026 response to a freedom of information request for its camera-enforced bus lane locations.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Taxis
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Fishergate eastbound, from 13 metres east of Butler Street for 10 metres, Preston. 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 Fishergate bus gate?
The Fishergate Bus Gate (Butler Street) in Preston operates at any time. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Fishergate bus gate?
Lancashire 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 Fishergate bus gate?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, taxis and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Fishergate bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Lancashire County Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Lancashire 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. Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.