The cost of repairing vandalised parking meters in North Berwick has reached £38,000 before a single penny has been collected from charges.
East Lothian Council insists the attacks on the newly installed meters which are due to come into use next month will not deter the local authority from introducing the controversial charging scheme.
However the manufacturers of the meters have described the damage to the meters which have been covered with glue and other substances, as ‘unprecedented’.
Speaking about a string of incidents in the town centre involving dozens of machines, IPS said it had never experienced a reaction like it to their products.
A spokesperson said: “As a parking equipment supplier we have experience of commissioning thousands of parking meters across the whole UK over a number of years.
“We have never seen the sheer volume and extent of the vandalism which has taken place in North Berwick. For a project of this type, it is completely unprecedented and totally extraordinary.”
North Berwick is the first East Lothian town to see parking charges introduced with plans for similar schemes in Musselburgh, Haddington, Dunbar and Tranent expected to follow after councillors approved moves to progress them at a meeting in December.
That meeting saw councillors walk the gauntlet through dozens of angry protesters who wave banners and shouted loudly. Inside the chambers the meeting was temporarily suspended while councillors debated whether to continue as the noise from outside disrupted proceedings and, at one point, a member of the public in the room was ejected after shouting “shame” al elected members.
Reports of parking meters being vandalised with glue and other products after being installed in the town met a mixed response on social media with the majority of people coming out in support of the damage calling it ‘direct action’.
However a council spokesperson said the introduction of parking charges would go ahead saying the cost of repairing the damage would come out of ‘existing budgets’ for public services.
They said: “This vandalism will not prevent the implementation of better parking management measures in North Berwick.
“While we understand the views of people who are opposed to the introduction of parking charges, these actions have only increased costs and reduced the positive impacts that the income could deliver.
“We would encourage anyone with information regarding the vandalism to contact Police Scotland on 101.”
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
