A ‘bus gate’ is a stretch of road which has restricted access to public transport and other authorised vehicles only.
In compliance with the Traffic Signs Manual, appropriate signage must be displayed on the approach to a bus gate and on both sides of its entrance.
Why is there a bus gate in Woking town centre?
In Woking town centre, there is a bus gate located at the junction of Broadway and Chertsey Road, leading into High Street. This area is commonly known as the ‘town-side of Woking train station’.
Bus gates are used widely throughout the country in areas where there is a high volume of through traffic and, particularly, in specific locations where that traffic needs to be carefully managed.
The bus gate in Woking was introduced in 2017 with a number of aims. These include (but are not limited to):
- to reduce congestion
- to prioritise smoother and more efficient travel for public transport
- to improve journey reliability times for buses from stop to stop
- to encourage a semi-pedestrianised area
- to increase safety where pedestrian usage is high
- to reduce noise and improvement of air quality in these areas.
Only local buses, authorised vehicles, and pedal cycles are permitted through the bus gate during the hours of 7am to 9pm at any day.
Enforcement of these measures is crucial to ensure the robustness and continued success in improving journey times and to achieve compliance with the aims above.
Read more about the Surrey County Council bus lane and gate enforcement policy
Who is allowed access to the High Street via the bus gate?
You can apply for a permit to access the High Street via the bus gate if:
- you are a tenant of a property located along the High Street and have dedicated parking facilities, or
- you make regular deliveries to a property directly within the High Street.
