About this bus lane
This bus lane is watched by a camera. It runs through Stafford town centre on the B5066 and operates 24 hours a day.
Local buses, licensed taxis and pedal cycles may use it. The taxi exemption is for hackney carriages licensed under section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 — the order does not name private hire vehicles, so a minicab is not covered.
Motorcycles are not exempt either. The council began issuing penalties here in November 2017 and it has been one of the county’s two heaviest enforcement points since: 2,821 penalties in 2021 and 1,898 in 2022, falling to 463 by 2024.
Staffordshire County Council’s bus lane pages still state a £60 penalty reduced to £30 within 14 days, but its own penalty records show £70 charged on every notice from 2023 onward, reduced to £35 for early payment; £60/£30 applied up to 2022. The council has confirmed the current charge is £70, halved to £35, but would not say what date the increase took effect, so check the amount printed on the notice itself.
Penalties are processed for Staffordshire by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, so a Staffordshire bus lane PCN is paid and challenged through Stoke’s parking service and the notice number begins “GE”. The order is the Staffordshire County Council (B5066 South Walls, Stafford) (Local Buses, Taxis and Pedal Cycles Only) Order 2018, made on 21 August 2018 and in operation from 24 August 2018, which provides that “no person shall cause or permit any vehicle other than a local bus, pedal cycle or taxi to enter, proceed or be in” the length of road specified.
Transcribed from Staffordshire County Council’s response to freedom of information request F0038517, answered on 4 September 2026, which supplied the traffic regulation orders for the county’s camera-enforced sites, and from its earlier response F0037975, 21 August 2026, which lists those sites with the month enforcement began at each.
Who can use it
- Local buses
- Taxis (hackney carriages)
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Private hire vehicles
Where exactly is it?
South Walls, Stafford town centre. 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 South Walls bus lane?
The South Walls Bus Lane, Stafford in Staffordshire operates all day (24 hours). There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the South Walls bus lane?
Staffordshire County 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 South Walls bus lane?
Local buses, taxis (hackney carriages) and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and private hire vehicles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the South Walls bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Staffordshire County Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Staffordshire County 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. Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.