PARENTS who ignore school keep clear' zig-zag lines in East Lancashire could be punished with £60 fixed penalty notices as part of a crackdown by education and highways chiefs.

Inconsiderate motorists who block roads surrounding schools are set to be targeted by parking attendants after the county council decided to introduce new traffic orders to make it easier for them to be fined.

Before the yellow zig-zag lines only acted as an advisory warning to drivers, according to highways experts.

Motorists who caused a clear obstruction could be given a fixed penalty ticket - but in practice it proved difficult to prosecute such offenders.

The decision has been made by County Coun Tony Martin, cabinet member for sustainable development. It will mean that traffic orders will make it mandatory for all drivers to take heed of the zig-zag lines in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley.

Critics say that parents will still continue to ignore the zig-zag lines - and enforcement will not be a priority for the county's Parkwise attendants.

Burnley borough councillor Tony Lambert said: "It will not be enforced - I agree that it should be but it just won't.

"Parking attendants will just not go out to schools - you can't get them out to rural areas as it is."

He said problems with poor parkers had been identified at schools in Worsthorne and Briercliffe - but when the difficulties were highlighted to parents they took little notice of appeals for consideration.

But County Coun Marcus Johnstone, schools cabinet member, said: "It is very important that we work with headteachers on this one."

He urged discussions to take place with Lancashire Association of Secondary Headteachers, and primary school representatives, to ensure the crackdown worked.

Letters should also be sent home to parents informing them of the change in the county council's approach to the issue, he said.

"This will work if we get the teachers onside with this - if we don't work with them then it won't work."

Traffic orders needed to roll out the scheme to the county's 686 schools will cost £90,000 and be paid for under County Hall's traffic management budget for 2007/08.