In the first two weeks of new charges being introduced in a seaside town, parking wardens have handed out a dozen £100 fines a day on average.
East Lothian Council says it has issued 167 fixed penalty notices in North Berwick since June 26 when the charges first came into force on the streets and in car parks.
The controversial parking management scheme has seen protests outside council meetings, on street meters vandalised before they were even operational and calls for it to be stopped until the impact on local trade and residents can be investigated.
At a meeting of East Lothian Council last month it was claimed some shop owners and hospitality businesses had said takings had fallen by up to 60 per cent compared to the same time in the previous year after the scheme was introduced with one saying they were down £1,000 a day.
Conservative councillors called for the charges to be paused for a review but lost their vote after Labour councillors and the SNP group brought their own motions which allowed it to continue.
Local SNP councillor Liz Allan, who represents the North Berwick Coastal ward, was later suspended by her group for backing the Conservative call to stop the charges.
North Berwick is the first in East Lothian to introduce parking meters and permits, with East Lothian Council estimating it could bring in more than £1 million a year once original costs are recouped.
Haddington, Dunbar, Musselburgh and Tranent are all due to have a similar parking charge system introduced with calls for their schemes to be delayed until a review of North Berwick is undertaken also rejected by East Lothian councillors.
A council spokesperson confirmed the number of parking fines issued in North Berwick between June 26 and July 9 was 167 but added that some “may be subject to cancellation or challenge” while some may relate to restrictions in place ahead of the new scheme being introduced.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
