About this bus lane
Signed on the street, but Reading Borough Council has confirmed it is not enforcing these lanes and there is no camera on them. They are the northbound A33 bus lanes, separate from the better-known southbound ones and easy to miss.
Like every A33 bus lane the exemption list is the strictest in Reading: buses and nothing else — no pedal cycles, no taxis, no motorcycles. They apply at any time; neither Order sets days or hours.
Two lengths are involved: the longer runs in the nearside lane from 54 metres north of Imperial Way to 175 metres south of South Oaks Way, and a shorter one sits just north-east of Rose Kiln Lane. Because the restriction is signed, a driver in it is still in a bus lane and the position could change if the council starts enforcing, so treat the roadside sign as the authority rather than this page.
Emergency and liveried service vehicles, Royal Mail, and utility and council vehicles working on the road are separately exempt. The confirmation that these lanes are signed but not camera-enforced and not currently enforced is from Reading Borough Council’s response to Freedom of Information request FOI/164952/2026, received 3 September 2026.
Transcribed from The Borough of Reading (A33) (Bus Lanes) Order 2025, in force 28 April 2025, Article 4.1 and item 3 of the Schedule "Bus Only Lane", read with The Borough of Reading (Bus Lanes) (A33) Order 2018 as amended by its Amendment Order 2026, in force 19 January 2026, item 4 of the re-inserted Schedule 1 — both published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Reading/.
Who can use it
- Buses
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Hackney carriage taxis
- Private hire vehicles
- Pedal cycles
Where exactly is it?
A33 northbound, nearside lane — from 54 metres north of Imperial Way to 175 metres south of South Oaks Way, and a shorter length north-east of Rose Kiln Lane, Reading. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN here?
Reading Borough 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 A33 bus lane?
The A33 Northbound Bus Lane in Reading 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 A33 bus lane?
Reading Borough 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 A33 bus lane?
Buses are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, hackney carriage taxis, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the A33 bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Reading Borough Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Reading Borough 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: Reading Borough Council accepted 22% of the 8,297 formal challenges it received in 2023/24, and of the 127 that went on to the tribunal, 10 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.