PARKING restrictions could be introduced at cars parks at East Lothian’s leisure centres.

Discussions are taking place between East Lothian Council and enjoyleisure, which manages leisure centres in Haddington, Dunbar, Tranent, Musselburgh and North Berwick on behalf of the local authority.

Bill Axon, general manager of enjoyleisure, said that talks had taken place previously and could do so again.

He said: “What we have done is we have had a chat with East Lothian Council and what we want to do is to discuss with them an opportunity for control measures to be put in place.

“We are finding at places like Musselburgh Sports Centre and the Loch Centre in Tranent we are getting a lot of people using it as a park and ride and the implication is customers cannot use the car park.”

No decision has been taken yet on what the restrictions could involve, although it has been suggested time restrictions could be used.

That would stop people from parking in the car parks and then travelling elsewhere by public transport, meaning a space is unavailable for hours at a time.

Enjoyleisure was launched in 2009 and aims to promote healthy choices for people across East Lothian.

Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader and a Musselburgh councillor, recently raised the issue at a meeting of East Lothian Council’s cabinet.

He said: “Certainly in Musselburgh, I am amazed even before the sports centre opens there are dozens of people using the car parking facilities before they can even get in the sports centre.

“I am certain it is the same at the Loch Centre in Tranent.

“People effectively use it as a park and ride.”

The issue of people driving to Tranent from the surrounding villages, parking in the car park, off Loch Road, and taking the bus into Edinburgh has also been raised by the town’s community council.

Councillor Kenny McLeod, ward councillor, added: “There were concerns with people using it as a park and ride – that is common knowledge.”

He warned the issue needed careful consideration as there was a danger that any parking restrictions at these locations could simply displace the problem to surrounding residential streets.

Any discussions involving restrictions would also involve members of the public and the NHS, with Tranent Medical Practice sharing a car park with the Loch Centre.

A spokesman for East Lothian Council said: “This matter was raised during the recent consultation on the council’s draft Local Transport Strategy. We will be carefully considering and discussing all of the feedback received before setting out future actions.”