About this bus gate
This is a short bus gate, not a lane you can drive along legally at any hour — a 45-metre length of Lichfield Street north-eastbound, near Littleton Street East, closed to general traffic at all times. Buses, coaches, pedal cycles and hackney carriages may pass through it.
Motorcycles may not, which catches people out because motorcycles are allowed in several of Walsall’s ordinary bus lanes; private hire vehicles may not either. The penalty is £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.
Transcribed from Schedule 3 to the Walsall Metropolitan Borough (Bus Lanes, Bus Gates and Bus Only Streets) Order, as published by Walsall Council, and cross-checked against the council’s response to freedom of information request RFI-16212-26, dated 31 July 2026, which gives the same hours and the same vehicle exemptions for all seven sites the two documents have in common.
Who can use it
- Buses
- Coaches
- Pedal cycles
- Black cabs (hackney carriages)
- Emergency vehicles
Not permitted
- Cars
- Vans
- Lorries
- Private hire vehicles
- Motorcycles
Where exactly is it?
Lichfield Street (north-eastbound), Walsall town centre — a 45-metre bus gate south-west of Littleton Street East. 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 Lichfield Street bus gate?
The Lichfield Street Bus Gate in Walsall operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no time of day when general traffic may use it.
How much is the fine for driving through the Lichfield Street bus gate?
Walsall 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 gate?
Buses, coaches, pedal cycles, black cabs (hackney carriages) and emergency vehicles are permitted. Not permitted: cars, vans, lorries, private hire vehicles and motorcycles.
Can I appeal a PCN from the Lichfield Street bus gate?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Make formal representations to Walsall Council first — the authority that issued the PCN has to consider them before it can enforce the penalty. If Walsall 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. Note that paying the £35 discounted rate accepts liability and closes the case, so challenge before you pay.