Posted on the 9th February 2026 in PHTM News

BUS LANE FINES ISSUED ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND NEW YEAR'S DAY SPARK ANGER AMONG BRADFORD DRIVERS

A Bradford private hire driver has criticised the city council after hundreds of motorists were fined for using bus lanes on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day - dates many believed were exempt from enforcement.

Mohammed Sajaad, who has worked as a private hire driver for years, said he was “stunned” to receive a penalty charge notice after driving in a bus lane near the Broadway shopping centre in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

“The whole purpose of bus lanes is to improve bus timings,” he said. “If buses aren’t running, there are no timings to improve. So why can’t we use bus lanes on these days, like we always have in the past?”

Confusion over past guidance:

Mr Sajaad insists the council previously stated that bus lane restrictions did not apply on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. He said this was outlined in a Notice of Rejection he received from the council in 2022, which he interpreted as confirmation the rules were not enforced on those holidays.

Although Bradford Council’s website now states that all bus lanes operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week - including bank holidays - Mr Sajaad said there had been no clear public notification that enforcement applied on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“There was no announcement that anything had changed,” he said. “Are we expected to check the council website every week?”

When he contacted the council this year, Mr Sajaad said staff told him that bus lane restrictions have always been enforced on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, contradicting what he and other drivers had long understood.

In a statement, Bradford Council said: “This has always been in our policy. Cases were cancelled in the past as goodwill; however, we continue to enforce bus lanes on bank holidays. Private hire drivers need to follow the same restrictions as other motorists.”

Appeal underway:

Mr Sajaad has appealed the penalty and is awaiting a response. He hopes the case will prompt clearer communication for drivers in the future.

“With the information I had, it was clear to me that bus lanes weren’t enforced on those days,” he said. “So why was I fined? It’s really upsetting - the council keeps trying this on. The public needs to know.”

Asked what he would say directly to the council now, he replied: “Be transparent. If the policy has changed, tell us - don’t leave people guessing and then penalise them.”


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