About this bus lane
Buses only — the order admits no other class here, so pedal cycles and taxis are both excluded. It is a contraflow lane running north-westerly between Boothroyd Street and Albion Street, meaning buses come towards the prevailing traffic.
Albion Street picks up its own contraflow bus lane at the far end. Stoke-on-Trent City Council's complete list of camera-enforced locations, given in FOI SOT-147931 (response 18 August 2026), does not include this lane, and no penalties are recorded here.
That is the council's own list rather than a guess, and it covers the city's camera car as well as its fixed cameras, so this is unlikely to be a site that is quietly patrolled. The restriction itself is still in force: the traffic order stands, the roadside sign is legally binding, and the council can add a camera or send the camera car at any time.
Transcribed from the City of Stoke-on-Trent (Traffic Regulation) (Bus Lanes) (No. 52) Consolidation Order 2010, First Schedule item 17, times of operation "At Anytime", permitted vehicles "Buses Only".
Who can use it
- Buses
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Taxis
- Private hire vehicles
- Pedal cycles
Where exactly is it?
Lichfield Street, in the north-west bound carriageway from its junction with Boothroyd Street to its junction with Albion Street, Hanley. View on Google Maps →
Got a PCN here?
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's own list of camera-enforced sites does not include this one, so a camera PCN from this location would be unexpected — check the notice carefully and make sure it names the road you were actually on. If it does, it is still £70, reduced to £35 within 21 days, and our step-by-step appeal guide covers the grounds that actually win. The restriction itself is not optional: the traffic order is in force and the police keep their own power to act.
Frequently asked questions
What are the operating times of the Lichfield Street bus lane?
The Lichfield Street Bus Lane (contraflow) in Stoke-on-Trent operates 24 hours a day, every day. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Lichfield Street bus lane?
Stoke-on-Trent City 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 Lichfield Street bus lane?
Buses are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles, taxis, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Lichfield Street bus lane?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Stoke-on-Trent City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Stoke-on-Trent City 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.