Parking wardens can fine Rose Street drivers

Under previous regulations, only police officers were lawfully able to ticket motorists for parking on the central thoroughfare.

That law has been changed in recent weeks thanks to a push by ­Essential Edinburgh, with improved barriers and planter boxes also installed at entrances to the pedestrian strip to block cars and vans from entering.

Essential Edinburgh chief executive Andy Neal said: “This is supposed to be a pedestrianised street and yet there are all kinds of vehicles shooting up and down it and parking where they shouldn’t.

“We’re working on being able to use traffic wardens to book transgressors.

“That was something that was a top priority for traders.”