About this bus gate
Sandwell's newest bus gate, live since 2 January 2026, and the strictest of the borough's five: the council names only buses and emergency vehicles as permitted here. That matters because Sandwell's three older bus lanes also let through hackney carriages and pedal cycles, and this one does not — a black cab or a cyclist waved through on Walsall Road or Hagley Road West has no equivalent exemption at Grove Lane.
It is enforced round the clock and issued 3,134 penalties in its first three months alone, raising £92,306. The council's own bus lane pages still list only three locations and say nothing about Grove Lane, so the hours and the permitted-vehicle list here come from Sandwell MBC FOI-858065885 (response 17 August 2026) rather than from a published page, and the roadside signs remain the authority.
A penalty charge is £70, reduced to £35 within 14 days and rising to £105 if unpaid after 28 days.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Emergency vehicles (in an emergency)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Hackney carriages
- Private hire vehicles
- Pedal cycles
Where exactly is it?
Grove Lane, Smethwick, near the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN from this camera?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Pay £35 within 14 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 Grove Lane bus gate?
The Grove Lane Bus Gate (Smethwick) in Sandwell operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Grove Lane bus gate?
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council issues a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. There are no penalty points — it is a civil penalty.
Who is allowed to use the Grove Lane bus gate?
Buses and emergency vehicles (in an emergency) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, hackney carriages, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Grove Lane bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Sandwell Metropolitan 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 gate 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 approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. It is worth doing: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council accepted 70% of the 2,243 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 65 that went on to the tribunal, 18 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.