A sign that tells you what to do
Buses and cycles only
A blue sign showing a bus and a cycle means the road or lane ahead is for buses and pedal cycles only - other vehicles, including cars, must not enter.
01
What it means
It's a mandatory route restriction: only the vehicles shown may use it. Unlike a bus lane running alongside normal traffic, this marks a whole road or gated section reserved for public transport and bikes, often to give buses a clear run through a busy area.
Some similar signs add taxis or permit holders - always read the exact vehicles and any plate.
02
Where you'll see it
Bus-only links in town centres, gated 'bus gates', and pedestrianised zones with a bus route through them.
03
On your driving test
Driving through a buses-and-cycles-only section is going where you're not allowed - a serious fault. Read the sign and plan an alternative route in good time.
Fines and penalties
These are often camera-enforced. Driving through a bus gate or bus-only street is a moving-traffic or bus-lane contravention - in London typically a £160 PCN, halved if paid early. No licence points, but the cameras are automatic and unforgiving.
Often confused with
Quick answers
Can I drive through a 'buses and cycles only' road?
No - cars aren't permitted. Only the vehicles shown on the sign (buses and pedal cycles, plus taxis or permit holders if a plate adds them) may use it.
Sign artwork is Crown copyright, reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0; meanings from the Highway Code (gov.uk).
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