POLICE have warned motorists they will receive a £50 fine if caught flouting traffic restrictions outside a trio of Haddington schools.

A permanent order banning vehicles from travelling along three streets at key points of the day was created last year outside the Haddington Infant and St Mary’s RC Primary School joint campus, and King’s Meadow Primary School.

The scheme, which came on the back of an 18-month “experimental” traffic regulation order, has been widely praised, although there have been concerns about it creating parking problems elsewhere in the town, such as at Aubigny Sports Centre.

Constable Lynn Black highlighted that the order, which bans vehicles from Neilson Park Road, Victoria Road and Wemyss Place at key times of the school day, was back in force following the summer holidays.

Vehicles, with the exception of residents’ vehicles, emergency vehicles and Blue Badge holders, are not allowed on the three streets 8.30-9.30am and 3-4pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30-9.30am and 11.45am-12.45pm on Fridays.

She said: “Only certain vehicles are allowed to use the roads during these times.We have had complaints regarding one vehicle in particular, a parent, who was abusing that and using the road.”

Police and community wardens, including Callum Colquhoun, have been on-site and PC Black added: “We will be enforcing that again – we will issues tickets in that area.”

The officer was speaking earlier this month at the Haddington and Lammermuir Community and Police Partnership (CAPP) meeting.

She stressed that the order had been created for the safety of the children, who are often walking, cycling or travelling on a scooter on their way to and from school.

PC Black highlighted that police could not issue a ticket retrospectively but any registrations could be passed on to officers to keep an eye out for, while drivers could be warned.

The scheme, thought to be the first of its kind in the country, has proven such a success that it has spread to Dunbar, while other local authorities are looking to implement their own version.

In Dunbar, vehicles are restricted as to when they can drive along Countess Crescent, beside the John Muir Campus of Dunbar Primary School.