Preston bus gate suspension call

Calls have been made to suspend a controversial ‘bus gate’ in Preston that’s caught more than 80,000 motorists – and generated £2.6m in fines – in its first year of operation.

Preston city councillors have demanded highways bosses at Lancashire County Council re-examine the operation of the bus-only zone that was introduced on Corporation Street, near the city centre, in May 2024.

They have also urged the county authority to put the brakes on enforcing a bus lane around a mile away on New Hall Lane, which was installed in February this year – and has been condemned by locals – but for which penalties are not yet being handed out as result of issues with the cameras monitoring the location.

Preston City Council passed an almost unanimously-supported notice of motion requesting that County Hall conducts a “full reassessment” of the effect of the two schemes – respectively, the eighth and ninth bus-only areas in Preston – and the degree of public support for them.

The county council has also been asked to publish the evidence supporting the restrictions, including “traffic modelling, safety assessments, signage audits, consultation summaries, enforcement data and financial impact assessments”.

Bringing the motion to a recent meeting of Preston’s full council, Cllr Siraz Natha, the Labour representative for the Deepdale ward, branded the pair of schemes “a stealth tax that’s been imposed on the residents of Preston”.

“We want an integrated transport system in Preston and less pollution, but what I probably don’t agree with…is random initiatives that come along… generating huge amounts of money.

“People will say [drivers] can see the signs, why are [they ignoring them]?  But I don’t know that many people who go around towns…[looking] to try and get fines,” Cllr Natha added, reflecting on the sheer scale of rule breaches that have occurred on Corporation Street.

The bus gate in that location means only buses and Hackney taxis are allowed to travel along the short stretch of the route between Heatley Street and Marsh Lane.  Enforcement began on 25th June, 2024 – after more than a month’s grace period during which only warning letters were issued to those flouting the regulation.

By the end of November that year, almost £1.6m in penalty charge notices (PCNs) had been issued to motorists caught out by the new arrangement.  That figure had risen to £2.68m by mid-June 2025, just a week short of the first anniversary of enforcement being introduced.

The city council’s Liberal Democrat opposition group leader John Potter said that while he supported “the principle” of regulating traffic flows “to improve the businesses and lives of people” in an area, it was one that was being undermined by “badly designed schemes”.

“It allows people to attack any further work you want to do [to cut traffic] no matter how many benefits it might bring,” he said, noting that the Liberal Democrats had called for the Corporation Street bus gate to be scrapped in their alternative budget presented at the county council in February – which was voted down by all parties except the Greens.

That scheme and the New Hall Lane bus lane were both implemented under the previous Conservative administration at Lancashire County Council.  Since Reform UK took control of the authority in May, however, there has been no change to the policy.

Preston City Council’s only Reform member, Stephen Thompson – who defected from the Conservatives two months ago – said he was unable to support the motion calling for a suspension of the two bus-priority measures, after being assured by the cabinet member for highways and transport at County Hall, Warren Goldsworhty, that they were beneficial.

“[They] do facilitate the buses to be more punctual…and [the county council] have the figures to actually back this up.

“It is frustrating when you get a fine…[and] it does generate money …but if people go down a bus lane when they shouldn’t do, then there has to be a penalty,” Cllr Thompson said.

However, Cllr Fiona Duke, the Lib Dem member for Greyfriars, disputed the claimed success of the restrictions, telling the meeting that she had spoken to a bus driver who said services were “still getting stuck” when they joined the A59 – negating any time saved earlier.

The city council’s Labour leader Matthew Brown said it was right that the county authority explored “what’s been going wrong” to result in so many drivers being fined on Corporation Street.

He said that there might be no need to scrap the bus gate altogether, but potentially to “amend” it to ensure “the problems are ironed out”.

“Because we do see the need for traffic management and promoting public transport, Cllr Brown added.

The motion also called on the county council to provide “evidence” that the cash coming into the authority’s coffers from the PCNs was being “reinvested into highways, transport, and safety improvements that directly benefit the people of Preston”.

Cllr Suleman Sarwar – who has campaigned against the New Hall Lane scheme, which runs along the border of his St. Matthew’s ward – said the likes of streetlight improvements and pothole repairs should be getting a boost from the income being generated.

“Where’s [the money] going – what are you improving?” he asked.

He carried out a public survey about the revised layout on New Hall Lane in which 94 percent of the 530 people who responded said traffic had “worsened” since the changes, which saw the new bus lane introduced on the city-bound side of the carriageway between Fishwick Road and Witton Street.

Cllr Sarwar said residents feel “ignored”.

“Ultimately, it’s a failure to listen…to local people.   We all want better transport, but it’s got to be fair…sustainable and it’s got to be supported by the communities it affects, “ he said.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached Lancashire County Council for comment on the city council’s call for a halt to be brought to the two schemes – pending a potential rethink – but had not received a response by the time of publication.

However, earlier this month, County Cllr Goldsworthy said early feedback from bus operators using New Hall Lane was that the new layout had already “improved journey times and reliability” – notwithstanding the fact that there was not yet any punishment to deter the drivers of unauthorised vehicles from drifting into the reserved lane.

He added that all road users could expect to benefit from a forthcoming revamp of New Hall Lane’s junction with London Road.

“Phase 1 of the New Hall Lane bus lane scheme has introduced a dedicated westbound bus and cycle lane within the existing road layout. Drivers still have access to the usual single lane – and parking restrictions remain unchanged.

“Due to the road’s width, the impact on congestion has been minimal.

“Phase 2, planned for 2026, will include major signal upgrades and widened filter lanes at the London Road/New Hall Lane junction.

“Once complete, the scheme will benefit general traffic as well as improve public transport journey times and timetable reliability.”