How to appeal a bus lane PCN
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
A bus lane PCN is posted to the registered keeper from camera footage. Make representations to the council or TfL within 28 days, and if they are rejected, appeal free to London Tribunals or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal within 28 days. The penalty is £160 in London and £70 in most of the rest of England, halved if paid within the discount period, and the grounds that win are inadequate signs, a lane that was not operating at that time, a permitted left turn or access, avoiding an obstruction, and footage showing only a trivial incursion.
| Penalty in London | £160, on borough and TfL roads alike, since 7 April 2025 |
|---|---|
| Penalty elsewhere in England | £70 in most council areas, £60 in a few (a higher-level contravention) |
| Discount | 50% if paid within the period on the notice: 14 days in London, usually 21 days for postal PCNs elsewhere |
| Representations | Within 28 days of service; there is no informal stage for a postal PCN |
| Tribunal appeal | Within 28 days of a Notice of Rejection; free |
| Licence points | None. It is a civil penalty. |
Bus lane PCNs arrive by post, usually with a still image or a link to camera footage showing your car in the lane. Because they are issued from CCTV rather than by an officer on the street, the process is slightly different from a normal parking ticket: there is no informal stage, and the PCN itself counts as the formal notice.
They are also among the most successfully appealed notices, because bus lane signage has to be precise and a surprising amount of it is not.
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Check my noticeAmounts and deadlines
In London a bus lane PCN is £160, on borough roads and Transport for London roads alike, halved if you pay within 14 days. Outside London it is a higher-level penalty, £70 in most council areas and £60 in a few, halved if paid within the discount period stated on the notice, which is often 21 days for postal notices.
You have 28 days from the date of service to pay or to make representations. Service by post is generally assumed to be two working days after posting. If you do nothing, a Charge Certificate follows and the penalty rises by 50%.
Grounds that win bus lane appeals
- Signs or road markings were not adequate. Every bus lane needs a sign at the start showing the hours of operation and which vehicles may use it, with repeater signs along its length. A missing, obscured or misleading sign is a complete defence. Go back and photograph the approach as a driver sees it.
- The lane was not in operation. Many bus lanes only operate at peak hours or on weekdays. Check the times on the sign against the timestamp on the PCN.
- You entered to turn left or to access a property. Broken white lines at a junction mean you may enter the lane to turn, and you may cross a bus lane to reach premises. Councils sometimes issue for perfectly legal manoeuvres.
- You were avoiding an obstruction or following a police officer's direction. Steering around a broken-down vehicle, an ambulance or roadworks into the lane for a moment is a recognised exemption.
- Your vehicle is permitted. Licensed taxis, motorcycles and cycles are allowed in many lanes, and the sign will say so. Private-hire vehicles usually are not.
- The footage does not show a contravention. Watch the video. Adjudicators regularly cancel PCNs where the car only clipped the lane, or where the footage shows a different vehicle or an unreadable plate.
- Cloned or misread plates. If the vehicle in the picture is not yours, say so and report cloning to the police to get a crime reference.
How to appeal
- Look up the footage using the PCN number and registration on the council's or TfL's website, and save a copy.
- Make representations within 28 days, in writing or through the online portal, quoting the ground you rely on and attaching your photographs.
- If you receive a Notice of Rejection, appeal to the tribunal within 28 days: London Tribunals for London, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal elsewhere in England and in Wales. It is free and the adjudicator will review the same footage.
AppealGo can do all of this for you. Upload the PCN, we read the details, check the location and hours, and draft and file the representations.
Common questions
Can I get the discount back if my bus lane appeal is rejected?
Councils are not obliged to re-offer the discount after formal representations, but many do as a matter of policy, and you can ask. Transport for London usually re-offers it if the representations were made within the discount period.
Is it a contravention if only part of my car was in the bus lane?
Technically yes, but adjudicators look at whether the incursion was trivial and whether it obstructed buses. A brief clip of the lane line to pass an obstruction is often cancelled on appeal, so watch the footage before you decide.
Does a bus lane PCN come with points on my licence?
No. It is a civil penalty enforced by the council or TfL, not a police matter, so there are no penalty points and it does not affect your insurance.
Sources
- Traffic Management Act 2004, Part 6 (civil enforcement)
- Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/71
- SI 2022/71 Schedule 3: penalty charge levels outside London
- London Councils: parking and traffic PCN levels from 7 April 2025
- Transport for London: challenge a red route penalty charge notice
- London Tribunals (Environment and Traffic Adjudicators)
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal
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Check my noticeRelated guides
This guide is general information about UK motoring penalties, not legal advice. Deadlines, amounts and procedures are set by the issuer and the regulations in force, and the notice you were sent is always the authoritative source for your own dates. See our disclaimer.
