A motorist from South Gosforth has criticised road signage in Gateshead after being fined for driving through a town centre bus lane, saying he was left with no alternative route home.
Gerard Mouille, 69, was returning from a trip to Gateshead's Tesco Extra on the night of 11 September when he was caught in the northbound High Street bus lane. He claims unclear road signs, combined with disruption from the closure and demolition of the A167 flyover, left him “no option” but to drive through the bus gate.
Council insists alternative route existed
Council bosses maintain that Mr Mouille could have taken another signposted route out of the town, stating he “did not need to drive through the bus gate”. However, footage of the incident seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service shows a queue of vehicles all driving in the bus lane at the time he was caught.
Mr Mouille said there “must have been a problem” if so many drivers were making the same error. After leaving the Tesco car park and turning left onto the A184, he says he followed diversion signs that took him back towards the High Street, rather than allowing him to turn left at the Park Lane roundabout to reach the Tyne Bridge and Newcastle.
Driver describes repeated loop
The Park Lane roundabout had been closed for several weeks during part of the flyover's demolition but was back open by the end of August. The maximum fine for bus lane infractions in Gateshead is £70, though this can be reduced by half if paid within 21 days.
After driving around the same loop twice, Mr Mouille “decided I had no choice” but to drive through the bus lane at the end of the High Street to connect to the bridge. He said: “I left the car park, turned left onto the A184 and turned left at the roundabout, then followed the deviation signs that I could see and turned onto Gateshead High Street. I ended up facing the small bus gate with the traffic lights, where I had been the first time.
“So I turned left towards the Tesco car park to go round again, thinking I had made a mistake, and I ended up at the same place. At the bus gate traffic lights, many vehicles were waiting for the green light. I decided I had no choice; I needed to go home through the Tyne Bridge, and I went through the gate. There were no taxis or buses going through, just normal vehicles.
Driver questions traffic management
Mr Mouille acknowledged he may have missed signage for another exit, saying: “I know I went through the bus gate, but I did not have any choice. I was not offered an alternative to that. I may have made a mistake, which was after 10pm, in the dark, and I might have missed the signage for another option of getting out. It is possible.
“I have seen reports that bus lane fines have totally exploded since 2025 in Gateshead, mainly due to the work at the flyover. But I think it shows that the council's traffic management systems have not been very well drawn up or updated to facilitate traffic in Gateshead.”
He added: “The thing is, for the fraction I committed, I was not the only one; I was stuck in a queue of vehicles. They must realise that if so many vehicles and drivers have been committing that kind of infraction, there must have been a problem there.”
A council spokesperson replied: “There is currently no diversion in place at the junction of Charles Street and the High Street in Gateshead. Motorists wanting to reach the Tyne Bridge from Charles Street can drive straight across the junction to Park Lane roundabout, take the first exit on to the A167, and proceed to the bridge. This is signposted.
“This driver was free to use this route so did not need to drive through the bus gate at the north end of the High Street. Earlier this year, while Park Lane roundabout was closed for four weeks, we did have diversions in place, but the roundabout was open again on Saturday 22nd August when the flyover demolition work in this area was completed.”
