drivers who use Ferndale Road as a rat run are warned they could face a fine if they continue to ignore police warnings.

Motorists are being told that they are breaking the law to drive through the bus lane rather than using nearby Great Western Way.

However, police are getting tough determined to stop offenders.

Ferndale Road's bus lane has been a trouble hot-spot for more than a year now.

The bus lane is designed to limit the amount of traffic in Ferndale Road and only allows buses, emergency vehicles, motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles.

Community Support Officer, Sarah Young, has been monitoring how many cars speed through the bus lane.

CSO Young said: "This is only a short section of road but people are putting their foot down pretty quick just to get through.

"The bus lane is there for a reason and is not there to be abused."

She added that using Great Western Way and driving within the law only adds a matter of minutes to the journey time.

So far 30 drivers have been issued with a fixed penalty notice for using the bus lane.

Although Sarah does not have the power to issue fines herself, she can issue offenders with a warning letter.

She wants drivers to know that if she is with a police officer, drivers will be stopped and fined and they may even incur points on their licence.

However, despite her patrols she said the message is not getting through.

Within minutes of her leaving two cars, a van and a lorry drove straight through the bus lane.

According to her the drivers were completely unfazed by four blue warning signs and red road markings, which inform drivers this section of road is for buses only.

Residents are fed up with cars using the bus lane.

Brenda Watson, 39, of Ferndale Road said: "They go through here like nobody's business. It's terrible. One day someone will get killed."

CSO Young and local residents are now calling for a camera as a last ditch attempt to stop cars using the bus lane.

Sarah Deacon, a spokeswoman for Swindon Borough Council said there weren't any plans to install cameras.

Lyndsay Scanlan