Every appeal has been thrown out with signage deemed ‘legally sound’ so we took a look
One of the signs for Greyfriars Road bus gate in Coventry that appears to show the starting point where it takes effect(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Drivers fighting for bus gate fines to be overturned and signage to be increased have seen their demands turned down by Coventry City Council. Thousands have been fined for entering the feature on Greyfriars Road.
And while many have complained, council bosses insist – and have independent confirmation to support them – that signs comply with Department for Transport regulations. So how are so many vehicles being snared in the bus gate, designed to keep public transport flowing around the city?
The Local Democracy Reporting Service went to Greyfriars Road to look at the signs and see how many vehicles were driving into the bus gate, unaware of its existence or seemingly confused by the signage. Within the space of just five minutes taking photos of the signs, we counted six cars driving through the bus gate.
Though traffic may be quieter at night, that would add up to 72 cars an hour, four times as many as December 2025 figures suggested. At that time 440 drivers every day were being caught out, the equivalent of 18 every hour.
A roadside sign – and ANPR camera – for the bus gate in Greyfriars Road, Coventry(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
What we found at the Greyfriars Road bus gate
There are roadside signs and a large painted road marking saying ‘Bus Gate.’ While the road marking is visible, some may not know what encountering a bus gate actually means for their journey.
The signs in Greyfriars Road show a blue circle with symbols of a bus and bicycle and the word ‘taxi’ next to a white box saying ‘and authorised vehicles’ (which would include emergency services).
But the symbols on these signs are small and high up on poles. The message not to enter the lane isn’t as clearly and simply stated as perhaps it could be, with no immediately understandable warning.
One of the signs is placed parallel to the kerb, rather than facing traffic, so it can’t be seen at all by oncoming drivers. Another is down a side-street.
People in moving vehicles have only a few seconds to peer into the distance at symbols high up on a roadside post, or crane their necks upwards as they get closer to figure out what it means before they’ve actually ended up going past it.
As there is no physical barrier, we weren’t 100 per cent sure where the bus gate actually started and ended.
The original city centre traffic management order says the bus gate operates on the section of Greyfriars Road between the Warwick Road island and the Sheriffs Orchard side-road, just before Greyfriars apartment complex.
But it seems to take effect further down than Sheriffs Orchard. It looks like it begins at an unnamed small side-street alongside a residential block, as that’s where two signs with a black dividing line down the middle were placed on opposite sides of the road.
The road marking for the bus gate in Greyfriars Road, Coventry(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
It’s also not made entirely clear if it applies to both sides of the road or what drivers are expected to do next if they realise they’ve reached the bus gate from the Queen Victoria Road direction and shouldn’t proceed any further. A U-turn to go back the same way is the only realistic option.
Even though the signage is compliant with regulations, it’s easy to see why motorists get confused – or even fail to see the warnings at all – and then fall foul of these traffic rules. At night the issue would be worse as the signs aren’t lit.
We’d argue that a large digital display sign with illuminated text stating ‘Bus Lane: No Entry From This Point’ may be a better option.