About this bus gate
This is a bus gate in South Shields town centre and it is the only one of the council's four camera sites that is not in force around the clock: it operates every day from 10am to 6pm. Buses, taxis, pedal cycles and authorised vehicles may pass through.
Outside those hours the gate is open to all traffic. A camera has enforced it since 2020, and it is now the council's second-busiest site for tickets.
Hours, permitted vehicles and the type of each restriction come from South Tyneside Council's response to freedom of information request FOI 26.0480, 31 July 2026. The council gives the penalty for contravention code 34 (bus lane) as £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days — a shorter window than the 21 days its Parking Enforcement Charter quotes for parking penalties.
The council does not publish the extent of each restriction; the roadside signs are definitive.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Taxis
- Pedal cycles
- Authorised vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Fowler Street, South Shields — extent not published by the council. 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 Fowler Street bus gate?
The Fowler Street Bus Gate in South Tyneside operates every day, 10am to 6pm. Outside these hours, general traffic may use the road normally.
How much is the fine for driving through the Fowler Street bus gate?
South Tyneside 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 Fowler Street bus gate?
Buses, taxis, pedal cycles and authorised vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, private hire vehicles and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Fowler Street bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to South Tyneside Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If South Tyneside 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 gate during its operating times (Every day 10am–6pm), that it was an exempt vehicle, or that the approach signage did not give enough warning before the point of no return. It is worth doing: South Tyneside Council accepted 14% of the 607 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 3 that went on to the tribunal, 0 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.