What is a 'Bus gate' and can you legally use it in your car?

H

Harry the Haggler

Goalkeeper
Read this. Bus lanes we know about, but bus gates? Can anyone with a legal background enlighten me? Can you (on a technicality) drive up one in your car.

www.sunderlandecho.com

Cameras to enforce 'bus gate' rules in Sunderland, including new city centre system

New traffic enforcement cameras will be in place to monitor ‘bus gates’ and catch drivers who breach the rules – though there appears to be uncertainty around their legal definition.
www.sunderlandecho.com www.sunderlandecho.com
 


A 'bus gate' is a stretch of road which has restricted access to public transport and other authorised vehicles only. In compliance with the Traffic Signs Manual, appropriate signage must be displayed on the approach to a bus gate and on both sides of its entrance. PCN will be for bus lane and not the bus gate?
 
Last edited:
Harry the Haggler said:
Read this. Bus lanes we know about, but bus gates? Can anyone with a legal background enlighten me? Can you (on a technicality) drive up one in your car.

www.sunderlandecho.com

Cameras to enforce 'bus gate' rules in Sunderland, including new city centre system

New traffic enforcement cameras will be in place to monitor ‘bus gates’ and catch drivers who breach the rules – though there appears to be uncertainty around their legal definition.
www.sunderlandecho.com www.sunderlandecho.com
Click to expand...



no. the clue is in the name
 
Up here I’ve never seen a bus gate- we have bus only connections of the same function - these have no entry signs with “except buses” underneath. Perfectly clear and no legal ambiguity. Bus gate looks hugely over dramatic for such a simple idea tbh.
 
Gobuchul said:
Is that the young journo who got an honour off alexander de pfeffel for doing a made up interview about painting them?
Click to expand...

That’ll be it.

All scandals have ‘gate’ as a suffix.

Wingate, however is in County Durham and isn’t a scandal involving Luton Town in the playoffs.
 
Hettonlass said:
A 'bus gate' is a stretch of road which has restricted access to public transport and other authorised vehicles only. In compliance with the Traffic Signs Manual, appropriate signage must be displayed on the approach to a bus gate and on both sides of its entrance. PCN will be for bus lane and not the bus gate?
Click to expand...

Why not just call it a bus lane then as that will be the offence you will be fined for? Ive never heard of them until now.
Making city driving more complicated to put people off driving through or into them
 
Harry the Haggler said:
Read this. Bus lanes we know about, but bus gates? Can anyone with a legal background enlighten me? Can you (on a technicality) drive up one in your car.

www.sunderlandecho.com

Cameras to enforce 'bus gate' rules in Sunderland, including new city centre system

New traffic enforcement cameras will be in place to monitor ‘bus gates’ and catch drivers who breach the rules – though there appears to be uncertainty around their legal definition.
www.sunderlandecho.com www.sunderlandecho.com
Click to expand...
I suppose it depends on the signage as a bloke took the council to court a few years ago about the Jarrow bus gate. He won due to the signage but they've updated that particular bus gate signage since then along with others locations. Chances are the bloke will have still known he shouldn't be taking his car through and thought he probably wouldn't be caught. The same goes for people who get parking tickets (when they know they shouldn't be) but then get caught so look for a way out of it due to some technicality.

A lot of people elsewhere will be just bitching for the sake of bitching or they're just ignorant of the signage. This blue sign is an example from the the Highway Code (2nd page HERE).

Logon or register to see this image


That bus route on Dene Street has been around for as long as I can remember and I probably nipped through when it first came about. The photo in that article showing Dene Street has the blue sign like above. I don't need Bus Gate painted on the road to tell me it's not for me driving a car. The same goes for the Washington Galleries ones (and various others around Washington) as I'm sure they have summit like a car/bike on a white background with red outer circle and 'except buses' below (sometimes with other stuff). Though again, you had the 'knacker' who challenged one as the no entry sign was 'unlawful'.

www.walesonline.co.uk

Man spent £3,000 in battle to prove 'No Entry' sign is illegal

Eddie Mustoe was pulled over by police for driving down a lane which had a 'no entry' sign but argued that it was unlawful and won his case
www.walesonline.co.uk www.walesonline.co.uk

Logon or register to see this image


Over the years I think it's changed so that it reduces the people who can find 'loopholes'




On Google Maps history, I can see that in 2017 Dene Street also had the No Entry sign above the 'except buses' but in 2018 it switched the blue one (without any words) and BUS GATE painted on the road. It's obviously been changed after that knacker above challenged the signage but regardless of the technicalities to most people it's clear what it means.

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com

The Bus Gate part is nowt really apart from a name given to it (chances are it will be added to the Highway Code) but the blue sign with the Bus and cycle should be enough for drivers. I suppose they should have still called it a bus lane for the small distance to stop the moaning :lol: Though Bus Gate is obviously a more sensible name for it, plus people would no doubt moan asking how can it be a bus lane when it's such a small distance?

squashjoe said:
In a fashion with exemptions when there is money to be made.
Click to expand...
As I said in the speeding ticket thread HERE, what a load of shite. If people obeyed the rules in the first place then they wouldn't make money. It's to stop the knackers taking the piss as they know they won't get caught. It's the same knackers that I often see going along the various Durham Road bus lanes to and from the Barnes and A19 jumping traffic as they know they probably won't get caught. If cameras were put up along Durham Road then some people will bitch about it being money making when it's to stop the knackers taking the piss as they know they can get caught.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top