Should I Pay or Appeal a Bus Lane Fine?

Have you received a bus lane fine and are wondering whether to pay it or appeal? You’re in the right place. Every month, more than 130,000 people come to our website for advice on fines and parking tickets just like yours.

In this article, we’ll guide you through:

• What a bus lane fine is.
• Whether you have to pay it.
• How to appeal a bus lane fine.
• Ways to avoid a bus lane fine in future.
• What happens if you decide not to pay.

Churchill Motor Insurance reports that in 2022, UK councils issued an average of 19,631 daily parking fines, a 12% increase from the previous year.¹ So you’re definitely not alone.

Don’t worry; we have plenty of useful advice and examples to help you understand what to do next.

How much is a bus lane fine?

The fine for driving in a bus lane is £70 for most parts of the UK, while London bus lane fines are £130. However, they can vary between £60 and £160. 

If the fine is paid within 14 days, or 21 days in some cases, you can benefit from a 50% discount.

Making your fine £35 for most places and £65 for London. 

How do they know when someone drives in a bus lane?

When bus lanes were first implemented, keeping other traffic from using them was difficult.

Over time more local authorities added CCTV to monitor bus lanes.

Some of the CCTV are mobile and others only operate during the hours the bus lane is meant to be bus-only. Whereas, others are in action 24/7. 

The camera usually captures about 8 seconds of footage, which traffic enforcement officers review. 

Are the fines a criminal offence? 

A bus lane fine is a civil matter and not a criminal offence.

However, when the matter is not dealt with by paying or appealing the fine, there is the possibility that it can be escalated, and prosecution may occur. 

What other consequences are there?

You will only get a Penalty Charge Notice for driving in a bus lane.

You won’t receive penalty points on your licence and won’t have to worry about paying more for your motor insurance.

Can I avoid a bus lane fine if it was a first-time offence? 

In September 2020, it was announced that motorists that stray into the bus lane by mistake, and it was a first-time issue, could avoid being fined.

The government recommended that councils issue warnings first rather than fines.

However, if it happens again, the driver will get a PCN. 

This was to be fairer to drivers who perhaps did not know the city and those who made a genuine mistake. 

How do you pay?

A bus lane fine must be paid to the council that issued it.

For example, if you live in Birmingham but drive in a bus lane in London, you will receive a PCN from London City. 

It is important that you read your PCN carefully, as it will outline all of the ways you can pay.

Many councils accept payment for PCNs on their websites. However, often it can be done via the post or an automated telephone line. 

No matter how you choose to pay, you will need the following: 

• The unique PCN reference found on your notice
• Your vehicle registration number
• The card that you wish to pay with (alternatively, when paying by post, you’ll need to send a cheque or a postal order)

Do not pay your bus lane fine if you intend to appeal.

Advertisement

Paid legal information: Continue to JustAnswer

Advertisement. Paid general legal information from JustAnswer. Memberships renew automatically until cancelled. Check the initial price, renewal price, billing interval and cancellation terms. The standard service does not create a solicitor-client relationship. No successful outcome is guaranteed. MoneyNerd may receive a referral fee.

How do the appeals work?

You should appeal your bus lane fine within 28 days.

To appeal the bus lane PCN, you must use the challenge process outlined on the council website that issued the fine. 

It is best to provide as much evidence as possible when you want to appeal a fine. 

When you check your PCN information online, you might be shown photographic evidence of the offence, sometimes not.

A couple of reasons would be considered valid by the council as grounds for an appeal. 

• The council did not issue the PCN within the allocated 28 days (extenuating circumstances might be when the DVLA take too long to give them the information).
• There was an accident on the regular road, and you were moving around it.
• You were in the bus lane at a valid time.
• The signage for the bus lane was worn off the road, and there were no other signs.

You can use this great template to help you make your appeal: PCN Appeal Letter Template – Free Sample.

If you appeal and are rejected and disagree with the decision, you can take your case to an independent tribunal. 

Appeal Process Steps

To help you better understand the appeal process, I’ve put together this table.

If you want to learn more about Penalty Charge Notices, be sure to read our complete guide.

When	Action
On receiving a council PCN	Read the notice, keep it, gather evidence and note all payment and challenge deadlines.
Windscreen or handed-to-driver PCN	An informal challenge may be available before the Notice to Owner. Early challenge can preserve a discount under the authority’s policy; 14 days is not a universal final appeal deadline.
Postal PCN or Notice to Owner	Normally make formal representations within 28 days as stated on the notice. Do not assume there is an extra informal stage.
Representations rejected	The Notice of Rejection explains how to appeal to the appropriate independent tribunal, normally within 28 days.
Appeal unsuccessful	Pay by the deadline given in the decision or obtain advice on any available review. Further statutory charges can follow if you do neither.
Other ticket type	Private parking charges and FPNs use different procedures; follow the actual notice.

Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.

Can I ignore the fine?  

No, you cannot ignore a PCN issued for bus lane offences, parking offences, or any other infringement.

PCNs demand action of either payment or appeal. 

If you ignore the initial fine, then the council that issued it is within its rights to increase the fine, and over time this can be handed to courts, and enforcement officers might be contracted to recover the debt. 

Ignoring a fine like this can mean that the council put a  CCJ against you, which will show up on your credit rating. 

Quick recap

Paying or appealing your bus lane fine will come down to your personal circumstances. 

Many prefer to take advantage of the 50% early-repayment discount and have the fine dealt with as quickly as possible. 

If you have grounds for appeal, like those mentioned above, you might want to consider an appeal. 

Check out my packed information pages for more information about Parking Fines, how to deal with PCNs, and even the best list of excuses to appeal a parking PCN and debt advice. 

References

1. SkyNews – Parking Tickets Statistics