UK motorists stung by £37.7m in bus lane and bus gate fines

Key takeaways

• More than 1.17 million bus lane and bus gate PCNs were issued across Great Britain in the first half of 2026, generating over £37.7 million in fines, equivalent to one ticket every 13 seconds.

• Transport for London issued the most PCNs (90,511), while Manchester generated the highest revenue from enforcement, collecting more than £2.7 million.

• London motorists received nearly 250,000 fines worth almost £10 million, with Southwark leading all boroughs for both the number of PCNs issued and revenue collected.

British drivers have been issued more than 1.17 million bus lane and gate Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) during the first half of 2026, generating more than £37.7 million in fines, according to our new analysis of data from 77 councils and transport authorities across England, Scotland and Wales.

Though most drivers will be aware of bus lanes, the road lanes reserved for buses, and often taxis, cyclists and motorbikes, bus gates may be more unfamiliar.

These ‘gates’ block a short stretch of road to all traffic except buses, rather than restricting one lane. Both bus lanes and gates are enforced by CCTV or automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and can result in PCN fines being issued for rule breaches. 

Our analysis reveals the scale and cost of bus lane enforcement across Great Britain, with the data shows the equivalent of one fine issued roughly every 13 seconds - more than £200,000 collected from motorists per day. 

The research also reveals which authorities issued the most PCNs across the first six months of the year, with Transport for London (TfL) taking the top spot with 90,511 fines issued. Outside of London, Manchester follows in second place with 77,878 fines issued, while Sheffield ranks third with 59,011 PCNs issued.  

Number of PCNs issued for bus lane and gate infringements, by city/ authority 

Manchester generated the most revenue from fines paid for bus lane and gate infringements, with the council receiving over £2.7 million in revenue in the first six months of 2026. Despite issuing more PCNs, TfL generated just under £2.4 million in revenue for the same time, with Birmingham (£2.17m) placing third. 

Total revenue from bus lane and gate PCN fines, by city/ authority

London breakdown

London drivers specifically were issued nearly 250,000 bus lane and gate Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) between January and June 2026, generating nearly £10 million in fines, with the equivalent of one fine issued roughly every minute and more than £53,000 collected from motorists per day. 

TfL, which enforces bus lanes on the capital’s main ‘red routes’, issued 90,511 fines over the six-month period, generating £2.4 million in revenue, making it the biggest enforcement body in the city. This is the equivalent to 500 fines issued per day for bus lane and bus gate infringements in the capital.  

However, looking specifically at which boroughs issued the most PCNs across the first six months of the year, Southwark takes the top spot with 26,242 fines issued, while Lambeth follows in second place (17,975 PCNs issued), and Enfield places third, with 15,922 PCNs issued. 

Number of PCNs issued for bus lane and gate infringements, by borough 

Southwark is also revealed as the location earning the most revenue from fines for bus lane and gate infringements, with the council receiving over £1.4 million in revenue in the first six months of 2026. Croydon places second (£909,680), with Lambeth in third (£676,790). 

Total revenue from bus lane and gate PCN fines, by borough 

Alicia Hempsted
Insurance Expert

Don't ignore important road markings

Bus lanes and gates are an important part of our road infrastructure, so it’s important to keep them clear of cars and allow them to flow freely, particularly during busy periods. However, for many drivers, a brief lapse of attention or navigating an unfamiliar street can have expensive consequences.

PCNs are civil penalties, rather than criminal notices, so unlike offences for speeding or drink-driving, they won’t have any impact on your car insurance.

If you do receive a PCN for a bus lane or gate infringement, you should try to address it as soon as possible as fines are often reduced by 50% if they’re settled within 14 to 21 days, though this does vary between locations.

You should always review the details of the PCN carefully before paying it to confirm they are correct. You can dispute a PCN by contacting the issuing council or TfL, which you should do as soon as possible if you feel it’s incorrect. 

However, if you fail to pay a PCN within the given time period, these can be escalated to a County Court judgment or bailiff action, which could show up on credit checks in the future.

_Methodology

^{Data on bus lane and bus gate Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were obtained via Freedom of Information requests made to councils and transport authorities in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) in July 2026. The analysis covers 77 authorities who provided sufficiently complete and reliable data. Data covers PCNs issued between 1st January and 30th June 2026, with figures for bus lane and bus gate PCNs combined, as many councils automatically report these figures together.  
Revenue figures represent amounts reported as paid or received by each authority, and may in some cases include payments outstanding at the time of response, or relate to PCNs issued slightly outside the stated period.  
Further calculations were based on the total number of minutes, hours or days within the 1st January to 30th June time period.}