About this bus lane
The northbound restriction on St Mary's Butts, from the Hosier Street junction. It is in force twice a day, every day of the week: 7am to 11am and again 4pm to 7pm, Monday to Sunday.
Between 11am and 4pm, and after 7pm, any vehicle may use it. Buses, wheelchair-accessible hackney carriages and holders of a council special access permit may pass during the restricted hours.
A hackney carriage is only exempt here if it is wheelchair accessible — the Order permits a "wheelchair accessible taxi", meaning a licensed hackney carriage built or adapted to load a passenger in a wheelchair from the side. An ordinary taxi is not exempt, and neither is a private hire vehicle or minicab.
Pedal cycles are permitted: the prohibition bites on motor vehicles only, so it does not reach a bicycle at all. The council issues special access permits for this street under the same Order, so a resident or business with a permit is exempt.
Transcribed from the Borough of Reading (Town Centre) (Bus and Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Lanes) (Special Access Permits) Order 2012, sealed 4 October 2012, Schedule 4 "Prohibition of motor vehicles except bus, wheelchair accessible taxi and permit holder, Monday to Sunday 7am-11am and 4pm-7pm", item 13, read with Schedule 5, published on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal's traffic regulation order register at https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Reading/RG173B.pdf.
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?
St Mary's Butts — northbound 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 St Mary's Butts bus lane?
The St Mary's Butts Bus Lane in Reading operates Monday to Sunday, 7am to 11am and 4pm to 7pm. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the St Mary's Butts 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 St Mary's Butts 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 St Mary's Butts 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 (7–11am & 4–7pm), 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.