About this bus lane
A short southbound bus lane at the top of Southcote Lane, just after you turn off Bath Road, running from 28 to 49 metres south of the junction. It applies at any time — the blue roundel on the council's signing plan carries no time plate at all, and the Order states no hours.
Buses and pedal cycles only. Taxis are not exempt here, which is worth noting because they are exempt on the other Southcote Lane restriction further down the road; nor are motorcycles or private hire vehicles.
The road is marked "BUS AND CYCLE LANE" with an "End of bus lane" sign at the far end. There is a separate 6'6" width restriction further along Southcote Lane, signed "Except buses", which is a different restriction and not a bus lane contravention.
Southcote Lane has two separate camera-enforced restrictions and they are not alike: this one and the other one. The stretch by Circuit Lane operates only in the weekday morning peak and lets taxis through; the southbound lane at the Bath Road end operates at all times and does not.
The council lists this as the camera-enforced section "Southcote Lane (Southbound)", enforced since 6 March 2017. That camera name and start date are transcribed from Reading Borough Council's response to FOI 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 2 "Bus and Cycle Lane", 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, read with the council's sign layout drawing "Southcote Lane (Southbound) Bus Lane" dated May 2017 at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/Core%20Documents/Reading/32-BLE-Map-Southcote-Lane-Southbound-May-2017.pdf.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Hackney carriage taxis
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
Southcote Lane southbound, from 28 to 49 metres south of the Bath Road junction, 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 Southcote Lane bus lane?
The Southcote Lane (Southbound) 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 Southcote Lane 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 Southcote Lane bus lane?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, hackney carriage taxis and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Southcote Lane 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.