About this bus lane
Buses, pedal cycles and licensed hackney carriages may use the Norcot Road bus lanes; private hire vehicles and motorcycles may not. They apply at any time — the Order sets no days and no hours.
There are two lengths, both with the flow of traffic: one runs west to east from the Pottery Road junction for 53 metres west, and the other runs east to west from 120 metres east of the Church End Lane junction for a further 100 metres east. The council has confirmed that the separate signing and lining plans it published for the Chichester Road and Tilehurst ends of the road are not additional bus lanes — they show advance-warning signs for a nearby width restriction, and no further Order-created lengths exist on this road.
The council lists two camera-enforced sections here: Norcot Road (Eastbound), enforced since 7 October 2011, and Norcot Road (Westbound), enforced since 29 September 2016. The camera locations and enforcement start dates are transcribed from the council’s response to Freedom of Information request FOI/164207/2026, received 27 July 2026.
Transcribed from The Borough of Reading (Bus Lanes) Traffic Regulation Order 2006, in force 4 September 2006, Schedule 3 "Bus, Cycle and Taxi Lane", which gives both lengths by location, description and direction and states no hours of operation, published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Reading/Borough-of-Reading-Bus-Lanes-TRO-2006-4-9-2006.pdf and confirmed by Reading Borough Council in its response to Freedom of Information request FOI/164952/2026, received 3 September 2026.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Hackney carriages (licensed taxis)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Norcot Road — two lengths, one from the Pottery Road junction 53 metres west and one from 120 metres east of Church End Lane for a further 100 metres, Tilehurst, Reading. 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 Norcot Road bus lane?
The Norcot Road 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 Norcot Road 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 Norcot Road bus lane?
Buses, pedal cycles and hackney carriages (licensed taxis) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Norcot Road 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.