METRO police in Tshwane yesterday morning issued R64 000 worth of traffic violation fines to 64 motorists for driving in the emergency lane on the Ben Schoeman highway during a no-nonsense two-hour campaign.

The morning blitz, which started at 9am and ended at 11am, saw motorists who were in a hurry and not willing to join the slow traffic jam receive a R1 000 traffic fine ticket each.

Spokesperson for the municipality's community safety department Console Tleane said they had noted with concern a worrying tendency by motorists, who resort to driving on the emergency lane when the traffic is slow.

Tleane said driving in the emergency yellow lane was an offence in terms of the National Road Traffic Act. "The only vehicles allowed to drive in the emergency lane, again under certain circumstances, are emergency vehicles with blue or red emergency lights and with their sirens on. Ordinary motorists are not allowed to drive in the emergency lane, and may cause unnecessary accidents," he said.

The culprits will have to pay the fines by due date or risk being hauled to court.