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Bus lanes · EB PCNs
How to appeal an Edinburgh bus lane fine
Edinburgh bus lane fines are camera-enforced and posted to the registered keeper. They can only be challenged on set legal grounds, so the letter below sticks to those. Watch the camera video before you decide.
By a former Edinburgh enforcement officer · Updated October 2026
🎫 The short answer
An Edinburgh bus lane PCN (number starting EB) is £100, reduced to £50 within 14 days. Challenge within 28 days through the council’s online service, ideally inside the first 14 so the discount is normally held. If the council rejects it, you can appeal free to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.
Watch the video first
Every bus lane PCN comes with camera footage. You can watch it on the council’s PCN viewer from the day after the notice was issued, using the PCN number and your registration. Check the time against the hours on the sign (usually 7:30–9:30am and 4–6:30pm, Monday to Friday), and look at what you were doing when you entered the lane. If the footage clearly shows you driving along the lane during its hours, paying the £50 is usually the smart move.
Build your appeal letter (free)
Fill in the boxes and tick the grounds that are true for you. The letter updates as you type. Nothing you type leaves your device.
This is a letter-drafting tool, not legal advice. We can’t guarantee the outcome of any appeal.
The grounds you can use
The council can only cancel a bus lane PCN on the grounds set out in the regulations. Put simply:
- The contravention didn’t happen. For example, it was outside the lane’s hours, you made a movement the signs allow, you were directed in or avoiding danger, or the signs or markings were unclear.
- You weren’t the registered keeper at the time.
- The vehicle was taken without your consent.
- You’re a hire firm and the hirer accepted liability.
- The amount demanded is wrong.
Edinburgh’s standard bus lane hours are 7:30am to 9:30am and 4pm to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday. Outside those times, including all weekend, you can drive in them. Some lanes are different, though, and the two directions on one street can differ: on The Shore, for example, one direction is restricted 24 hours. Always check the sign for your direction of travel.
What happens next
Days 1–14
Challenge, or pay £50
An early challenge is normally considered while the discount is held.
Within 28 days
Last date to challenge
Count from the date of the contravention to be safe.
If rejected
Notice of Rejection → tribunal
Appeal free to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (General Regulatory Chamber). It decides on the evidence.
Common questions
How much is a bus lane fine in Edinburgh?
£100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. The PCN number starts with EB.
How long do I have to challenge an Edinburgh bus lane fine?
28 days. Challenge within the first 14 days if you can, because the discount is normally held while the council considers it.
Can I challenge by email?
No. Edinburgh only accepts written challenges through its online service or by post.
What if the council rejects my challenge?
You can appeal free to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (General Regulatory Chamber) using the Notice of Rejection.
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