Corporation Street bus gate and Preston bus lanes – all you need to know

The Corporation Street bus gate Pic: Blog Preston

Preston’s newest bus-only area comes into force in the next fortnight, but what are the rules?

Corporation Street is being turned into a bus gate which means buses, taxis (and only Hackney-carriage as in black cabs) and cyclists can use the stretch of lane marked as bus-only.

Anyone else driving in the road between Marsh Lane and Heatley Street faces a £70 penalty charge notice.

Here’s a run through of everything you need to know before the bus gate gets enforced from Tuesday (21 May).

Where is the new bus gate in Corporation Street?

If you’re coming from Marsh Lane or the university campus then it means you can’t go down Corporation Street.

If you’re heading from Ringway, it means you can only go up Corporation Street as far as the Heatley Street turns. You can still turn into Heatley Street – either left or right.

The map below shows you the exact location and what is happening with the side streets. The county council is changing the bit of Marsh Lane which cuts through to Friargate to give an escape route for those who are about to enter the bus gate by mistake.

Will I be fined?

Lancashire County Council says the bus gate cameras will be turned on during the Tuesday (21 May) but initially there is a ‘short grace period’ where drivers will be sent a warning letter. No date has been given for when the bus gate fines start in Corporation Street.

How much is the charge?

You will be given a penalty charge notice of £70 – this is known as a PCN.

If you make a payment within 21-days of the PCN the charge is reduced to £35.

If you’re late, the charge can go up to £105.

You can pay the charge via the county council website.

Can I appeal?

Yes, there’s a way on the county council website to appeal the PCN.

I have a blue badge, can I use the bus lane?

No.

I’m a delivery driver, just need to quickly stop outside…

Nope. There’s no loading in a bus lane.

Why is it being introduced?

The county council say the bus gate is needed to improve the ‘reliability’ of the bus timetable in the city.

Are there other bus lanes in Preston?

Yes – quite a few now. Fishergate has three in total – from Mount Street to Corporation Street, in Cheapside and by County Hall.

There’s also one in Butler Street at the junction with Fishergate Hill.

Tithebarn Street recently had a bus gate introduced.

And there’s one in Lords Walk too.

Plus the Broughton bus lane in Garstang Road, by the bypass.

How many people get caught in bus lanes each year?

Latest figures, thanks to a Freedom of Information request by Paul Faulkner of the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service, showed the following figures:

Fishergate (Mount Street to Corporation Street): 8,099 >>> 8,795 – up 696

Fishergate (Cheapside): 5,269 >>> 4,708 – down 561

Fishergate Hill (County Hall): 188 >>> 115 – down 73

Butler Street (junction with Fishergate Hill): 8,107 >>> 7,298 – down 809

Tithebarn Street: 7,571 >>> 3,977 – down 3,594

Lords Walk: 209 >>> 60 – down 149

Garstang Road (Broughton): 5,714 >>> 4,205 – down 1,509

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