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Disabled student challenges council over bus gate

Gina Millson
Lancashire political reporter, BBC News
BBC Street scene in Corporation Street, Preston. Showing a red brick building in the background. The road says 'bus gate' in white on a red background on the left hand side. A person is walking on the far side of the road.BBC
The Corporation Street bus gate went live in May 2024

A disabled student is planning to take legal action against Lancashire County Council over a controversial bus gate.

Chris Fisher, from Accrington, attends the University of Central Lancashire and needs to drive between his lectures in different buildings.

The 52-year-old, who has received two fines since the bus gate was installed on Corporation Street in 2024, said signage was not clear, adding: "This bus lane has carved a line right between two important parts of the campus, now I have to do a 1.5 mile (2.4km) detour."

Lancashire County Council (LCC) said it did not want to issue fines "as they are only there as a deterrent" and it was encouraging drivers to follow the signs.

Chris Fisher standing in front of the 'bus gate' sign on the road. The road says 'bus gate' in white on a red background on the left hand side. People are walking past a Chinese restaurant on the other side of the road. In the background there are red brick buildings and people walking towards Chris.
Chris Fisher says the situation is "making me almost not want to continue this course"

The bus gate was installed last year to give priority to buses, hackney cabs and cycles in a bid to ease congestion.

Mr Fisher also claimed: "There's still road markings from before the bus lane was implemented, directing vehicles to turn right, these signs should be clear."

He added: "It's making me almost not want to continue this course."

He is now calling on Lancashire County Council to change the signage and says he is fundraising to take the authority to a judicial review.

This is where a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public authority, which includes local councils, and, if upheld, could see LCC have to refund all the fines.

A traffic light about to turn from amber to green is in the foreground, it has a traffic sign indicating no right turn except for buses, taxis and cycles. In the background there is another sign that indicates traffic travelling in both directions. Also in the background is a student halls called the Tramshed and some other red-brick buildings.
One of the signs Chris Fisher says is 'misleading'

Fines were sent out from June and the bus gate netted LCC £968,415 in three months.

Between October and November it generated a further £600,000.

Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for highways and transport said: "We have seen a significant drop in the number of unauthorised vehicles driving through the bus gate."

He added, "The bus gate on Corporation Street uses signs which meet all the legislative requirements and are consistent with our other bus restrictions that are enforced."

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