About this bus gate
The busiest bus gate in Sunderland by a very long way. Buses, pedal cycles and taxis may use it on any day at any time — and unusually, taxis here means both kinds: the Order defines a taxi as either a hackney carriage or a private hire vehicle, so licensed minicabs are exempt as well as black cabs.
That is not the case at the city's other two gates. Emergency vehicles on a call, mechanical road sweepers, and vehicles working on the road or its utilities may also pass when no other road will do.
The camera went live at 00:01 on 18 March 2024 with a two-week warning period, and has issued 22,356 penalties since — seven of every ten the city has issued, from a camera that has been running a third as long as the other two. Sunderland City Council records this site as Vine Place, the street the restriction actually sits on, and it appears under that name in the council's penalty figures; the gate is at the Holmeside end.
It is one of only three camera sites in the city: the council confirmed in August 2026 that it does not camera-enforce bus lanes at all, only bus gates. The penalty is £70, halved to £35 if you pay within 21 days.
Transcribed from The City of Sunderland (Holmeside Prohibition of Waiting, Loading and Other Restrictions) Traffic Order 2022, Articles 24 and 25 and Schedule 21.22, in force 28 October 2022.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Pedal cycles
- Hackney carriage taxis
- Private hire vehicles (minicabs)
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Vine Place, Sunderland city centre — from its junction with Holmeside north-east to Vine Place North Back. 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 Holmeside bus gate?
The Holmeside 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 Holmeside 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 Holmeside bus gate?
Buses, pedal cycles, hackney carriage taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Holmeside 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.