About this bus lane
The Minster Street restriction runs westbound from the Broad Street junction and is in force Monday to Sunday from 4pm right through to 11am the next morning — so the only window when other traffic may use it is 11am to 4pm, every day including weekends. Buses, wheelchair-accessible hackney carriages and holders of a council special access permit may use it at any time.
An ordinary hackney carriage that is not wheelchair accessible is not exempt here, which catches people out, and private hire is not exempt either. Pedal cycles may use it.
That last point was genuinely unclear from the Order alone — its Schedule is headed "prohibition of motor vehicles", which would leave cycles free, while Article 4 bans any "vehicle" except a bus, wheelchair-accessible taxi and permit holder, and Article 2 defines "vehicle" to include a pedal cycle.
Reading Borough Council has now confirmed that it resolves that drafting conflict in the cyclist’s favour and would not issue a penalty charge notice to someone riding through. Emergency services and vehicles clearing an obstruction or working on the street are separately exempt.
Transcribed from The Borough of Reading (Town Centre) (Bus and Accessible Taxi Lanes) Order 2017, dated 30 March 2017, Articles 2 to 4 and the Schedule headed "Prohibition of motor vehicles except bus, wheelchair accessible taxi and permit holder, Monday to Sunday 4.00 p.m. to 11.00 a.m.", published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Reading/BLTROMinsterStreetOrder2017.pdf; the position on pedal cycles is from the council’s response to Freedom of Information request FOI/164952/2026, received 3 September 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Wheelchair-accessible Hackney Carriages
- Special access permit holders
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Private hire vehicles
- Non-wheelchair-accessible taxis
Where exactly is it?
Minster Street — westbound town-centre bus lane. 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 Minster Street bus lane?
The Minster Street Bus Lane in Reading operates at all times except 11am to 4pm. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the Minster Street 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 Minster Street bus lane?
Buses, pedal cycles, wheelchair-accessible hackney carriages and special access permit holders are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, private hire vehicles and non-wheelchair-accessible taxis.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Minster Street 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. The grounds that win here are that your vehicle was not in the bus lane during its operating times (Except 11am–4pm), that it was an exempt vehicle, 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.