Fury as drivers fined £4k a day on UK’s ‘most lucrative bus lane’ | UK | News
A bus gate in Preston has been described as a ‘cash cow’ for the local council (Image: Getty)
A bus gate in a town in England has been described as the “most lucrative” as it reportedly earns the council more than £4,000 a day. fines. Lancashire County Council dispersed 47,176 people penalty fee notices (PCNs) for bus gate at Preston in 2025.
Results of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reportedly showed drivers paid £1.54 million in fines; This works out to just over £4,200 a day. A bus gate is a short stretch of road where only buses and other authorized vehicles are allowed to pass. It differs with the bus lanes that other vehicles can use at certain hours.
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Motorists who pass through the Preston bus gate on Corporation Street will be fined £35. If the fine is not paid within the first 21 days, the amount will increase to £105. TimesThe sender of the FOI request. Its ranking puts the gate at the top of the “most lucrative” list.
Delivery driver Keith Brierly, 83, told the same publication: “This is the council’s cash cow. They collect thousands a week from people who have no idea.”
A council spokesman said the Corporation Street gate was introduced to improve bus reliability in a busy part of Preston city centre. He said that the feedback from bus operators after the bus door was put into operation was positive.
Liberal Democrat councilor Mark Jewell said: BBC The bus door should be scrapped. He told the broadcaster that his location was not intuitive and that it was “very easy” for people to get caught up.
Figures published by The Times show 1.93 million PCNs for bus lane infringements were issued by 102 local authorities last year.
This cost drivers a total of £49.3 million; Manchester City Council spent the most at £5.3 million.
Drivers can appeal against the PCN to an independent tribunal if they believe it is wrong. This can include PCNs for parking, breaking traffic rules such as driving in the bus lane and failing to pay at the Dartford Crossing.
Different rules apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
You have 28 days to challenge the PCN. If you do this within 14 days and your appeal is rejected, you may only have to pay half the fine.
Before you can appeal, you must make a formal objection, known as a “representation.” If it is rejected you will receive a notification by mail and you will have 28 days after the rejection to file your appeal.
To find out how to appeal you should visit the Traffic Tribunal website if the PCN was issued outside London. If the PCN was issued in the capital, you can find out how to appeal at the London Courts.
If the objection is rejected, the penalties must be paid within 28 days. A successful appeal may result in the council canceling the fine, issuing a new notice or referring your case to an independent tribunal.
For more details on appealing PCNs, visit the Government’s online PCN appeal page.
