PCN code 34: being in a bus lane
Code 34 is a camera-enforced bus lane contravention. The upright sign at the start of the lane tells you everything: the hours it operates and which vehicles, if any, may use it besides buses. Most code 34 tickets turn on that sign, or on why the driver entered the lane.
What code 34 means
34: Being in a bus lane
Standard wording as published in council code lists: Department for Transport statutory guidance, Annex B (suffix j for camera enforcement, 0 for lanes for local buses and trams only) and Wandsworth Council. Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.
The Highway Code (rule 141) says bus lanes are shown by road markings and signs that indicate which other vehicles, if any, may use them, and that you should not drive in a bus lane during its period of operation unless otherwise indicated. Signs commonly allow taxis, cycles and sometimes motorcycles. Outside the hours shown, the lane is open to all traffic.
Outside London, bus lane enforcement is under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and SI 2022/71. In London, bus lane PCNs are issued under separate London legislation and appeals go to London Tribunals.
Parking or loading in a bus lane is a parking contravention under a different code. A short "bus gate", where only buses may pass, is often enforced under code 33 rather than 34.
How much it costs
| Where | Penalty | If paid within the discount period |
|---|---|---|
| England outside London (council's band 1 or band 2) | £60 or £70 | £30 or £35 (within 21 days) |
| London (all boroughs, from 7 April 2025) | £160 | £80 |
Outside London, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions are all charged at the higher level of the council's band (SI 2022/71, Schedule 3). If a charge certificate is issued, the penalty goes up by 50%. Your PCN states the amount and the discount period that apply to you.
Situations where code 34 is issued
- Moving into a bus lane early to turn left into a side road or a petrol station.
- Driving in the lane a few minutes before its hours ended, relying on a sign seen earlier on the route.
- Pulling into the bus lane to let an ambulance or fire engine pass.
- Following satellite navigation into a lane at a new layout.
- A private hire vehicle using a lane signed for taxis only.
When entry may be unavoidable
The Department for Transport's statutory guidance says that, for bus lanes, compelling reasons would generally apply only where entry was unavoidable: for example, to avoid or prevent an accident, a medical emergency, or where the restriction was not adequately signed. Councils must consider compelling reasons. If you moved over for an emergency vehicle, the footage often shows it; say so and ask the council to review it.
Evidence that matters
- The camera footage or still images (free on request outside London, SI 2022/576 reg 3). How far did the vehicle travel in the lane, and why?
- Photos of the start-of-lane sign and any repeater signs, showing hours and permitted vehicles, taken from the driver's position.
- The lane markings at the point you entered. Where a bus lane line is broken, for example at junctions, traffic may cross it.
- Dashcam footage showing an emergency vehicle, an obstruction or a hazard.
- For a taxi: the licence showing it is a hackney carriage rather than private hire.
First-time warning notices
The Department for Transport's statutory guidance says councils outside London should issue a warning notice, not a PCN, for a first moving traffic contravention at a camera location during the first 6 months of enforcement there, including at any new camera location. If your PCN came from a camera that had recently started, and it was your first contravention there, ask the council when enforcement began at that location. Councils must have regard to the guidance, and an adjudicator may treat an unexplained failure to follow it as a procedural impropriety.
Grounds that often fit
Representations usually rely on the contravention did not occur (outside the hours, a permitted vehicle, or the lane not properly signed) or compelling reasons where entry was unavoidable. If the vehicle had been sold, stolen or hired out, the ownership and hire grounds apply as for any PCN.
Deadlines for this PCN
Outside London, these PCNs come only from approved cameras and arrive by post. There is no windscreen ticket, no informal stage and no Notice to Owner: the PCN itself starts the formal process.
| Stage | Time limit (England outside London) |
|---|---|
| PCN sent | Normally within 28 days of the contravention; longer only if the DVLA was asked for keeper details within 14 days and was late (SI 2022/71 reg 10) |
| Discounted payment | 21 days, beginning with the day the PCN is served (second working day after posting) |
| Representations | 28 days, beginning with the day the PCN is served |
| Camera evidence | You can ask to view the recording, or for still images, free of charge (SI 2022/576 reg 3) |
| Council's decision | 56 days, or the representations are treated as accepted (reg 6) |
| Tribunal appeal | 28 days from service of the Notice of Rejection, to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal |
In London, bus lane and moving traffic PCNs are issued under separate London legislation and appeals go to London Tribunals. The stages are similar, but follow the periods printed on your PCN.
The dates printed on your own notices set your deadlines; where the count is in doubt, work to the earlier date. Our stage-by-stage guide to council PCNs explains each stage, and the one-page PCN deadlines checklist has space to write your own dates.
Questions people ask about code 34
- Can I enter a bus lane to turn left?
- Check the markings. Where the bus lane line is broken, other traffic may cross it, for example at junctions. Driving along a solid-line bus lane during its hours to reach a turn is likely to be a contravention.
- Can I use a bus lane to let an ambulance pass?
- Statutory guidance treats entry to avoid an accident or in an emergency as a compelling reason. Ask the council to review the footage, which often shows the emergency vehicle.
- Can taxis and motorcycles use bus lanes?
- Only if the sign at the start of the lane shows them. Many signs allow taxis and cycles; fewer allow motorcycles. Private hire vehicles are often not included.
- How much is a bus lane PCN?
- Outside London, the higher level of the council's band, £60 or £70, halved if paid within 21 days. In London, £160, halved if paid within the discount period.
- Does EvidenceCanvas cover bus lane PCNs?
- No. Its PCN route covers council parking PCNs in England only. This page is general information you can use yourself.
Related codes: Code 31: box junction · Code 50: prohibited turn · Code 47: bus stop · All contravention codes
Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: DfT statutory guidance, Annex B: bus lane and moving traffic codes; DfT statutory guidance: bus lane and moving traffic enforcement outside London; The Highway Code, rule 141 (bus lanes); SI 2022/71 reg 10 (postal PCNs); SI 2022/576 reg 3 (right to see camera evidence); SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (penalty bands outside London); Wandsworth Council, London-wide penalty charge changes from 7 April 2025; Wandsworth Council, PCN contravention codes (London levels); SI 2022/71 (General Provisions Regulations 2022); SI 2022/576 reg 5 (grounds for representations); Traffic Penalty Tribunal; London Tribunals. General information about council enforcement in England, not legal advice about your ticket. Wales has its own regulations; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems.