Signs

There are strict guidelines and rules covering the signage and lineage which must be in place. It is illegal for an authority to enforce a Bus Lane which is not correctly signed and adjudicators often uphold appeals where the signs and roadmarkings are not correct or where they are faded. Amazingly many bus lanes are not correctly signed and are therefore unenforceable but the local authorities just carry on enforcing them. By understanding the signs and lines which must be in place you may well be able to have your penalty charge notice cancelled. The required location of the signs that must be in place are set out below. Click here for road markings.

This diagram shows the signs which must be placed at the locations indicated.

These are the signs which must be in place in order for an authority to be legally able to enforce the restrictions. Please remember that the signs must also be unobscured, legible and facing the traffic.

You will notice that there are very strict requirements as to the size and permitted variants. If you notice a sign with different wording or symbols and the changes are not shown as permitted variants then the signs are illegal and the Bus Lane or other restriction is not enforceable. 

Below:  This sign must be present and clearly visible at least 30 metres before the commencement of a Bus Lane where a 30 MPH speed Limit is in place and 45 Metres where a higher speed limit is in place.
 

Below: This sign must be present and clearly visible at the commencement of a Bus Lane, immediately after each junction and along the Bus Lane at a maximum of every 300 metres along uninterrupted lengths. Quite often this sign is not present at all required locations and the Bus Lane is unenforceable.

Below:  This sign must be present and clearly visible at the commencement of a contra flow Bus Lane and immediately after each junction and along the Bus Lane at a maximum of every 300 metres. Quite often this sign is not present at all required locations and the Bus Lane is unenforceable.

Below: The times of operation must be present on signs 958 and 959 above if the hours of operation are less than 24 hours a day.

Below: This sign must be in place at the end of every Bus Lane.

Below:  This sign must be present at the commencement of a contra flow Bus Lane or a road reserved only for use by buses. It indicates that only buses (and cyclists in this example are allowed). This is not the sign which should be used for a normal bus lane. It should be used with the explanatory plate shown below
 

Below: The plate which should be used with sign 953 above.

 

Below:  This sign should not be used on a Bus Lane. It is only used to show the entrance to a Bus Garage.

Below: This sign must be present in all roads leading into the road with a bus lane and be placed shortly before the junction. These signs are essential as if you are turning right or left into a road with a Bus Lane you need to know in advance
 

Below: This sign must be present in all roads leading into a road with a contra flow bus lane and be placed shortly before the junction. These signs are essential as if you are turning right or left into a road with a contra flow Bus Lane you need to know in advance.

Below: This is the sign shown in diagram 877. It must be in place before a break in the bus lane where traffic is permitted to turn left but where the bus lane continues after the junction.

> Next in this section: Click here for road markings

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