About this bus gate
A short bus gate on Dene Street in Silksworth, six metres long, open to buses and pedal cycles on any day at any time. Cyclists may ride through it — the Order that created it is titled "Access for Buses and Cycles Only".
Taxis have no exemption here, hackney carriage or minicab. Emergency vehicles on a call, council refuse lorries collecting from the houses next to the gate, and vehicles working on the road or its utilities may pass when no other road will do.
It is one of only three camera sites in the whole city: Sunderland City Council confirmed in August 2026 that it does not camera-enforce bus lanes at all, and that every bus lane penalty it issues comes from one of three bus gates. This one has issued 5,308 penalties in three years.
The penalty is £70, halved to £35 if you pay within 21 days.
Transcribed from The City of Sunderland (Dene Street, Silksworth) (Access for Buses and Cycles Only) Order 2018, Articles 3 and 4 and Schedule 21.20, in force 28 May 2018, as amended by The City of Sunderland (Washington Area Bus Links and Bus Lanes) Amendment Order 2022, in force 29 March 2022.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
- Taxis
Where exactly is it?
Dene Street, Silksworth — a 6-metre bus gate starting 1.9 metres north of the northern boundary of the Aged Miners Homes. 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 Dene Street bus gate?
The Dene Street Bus Gate in Sunderland operates any day at any time. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Dene Street bus gate?
Sunderland 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 Dene Street bus gate?
Buses and pedal cycles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and taxis.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Dene Street bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Sunderland City Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Sunderland 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 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: Sunderland City Council accepted 50% of the 1,552 formal challenges it received in 2025/26, and of the 4 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.