A controversial pay and display system that has caused chaos in Perth is to be installed in a second car park.
The Mill Street car park, near Marks and Spencer, is operated by Smart Parking, the same firm that runs the Kinnoull Street multi-storey.
This year the company changed its pay and display machines to a type requiring drivers to enter their vehicle registrations when buying a ticket.
However, dozens of motorists have been caught out by the system with one motorist receiving a ticket after confusing the number 0 with the letter O and another penalised despite leaving 40 minutes early.
Councillor Alexander Stewart, who has received many complaints about the Kinnoull site, said the firm is failing to listen to users.
He said: “I am horrified that Smart Parking has paid no attention to the concerns that have been raised by numerous individuals, businesses and the council regarding this system, which was recently introduced at their Kinnoull Street facility.
“They now seem to be pushing forward to introduce this at another car park, which I expect will have similar consequences for their customers.
“The company has obviously learned nothing from the numerous complaints and seems to care even less.
“Despite numerous attempts to organise a meeting here in Perth with Smart Parking to discuss the problems, they ignored all approaches, and by introducing this system to Mill Street they are, to all intents and purposes, thumbing their nose at the citizens of Perth.”
However, a spokesman for Smart Parking said motorists are continuing to use the Kinnoull Street site and the system has prevented people parking without paying.
He said: “Smart Parking can confirm that it is upgrading the pay and display system used at the Mill Street car park.
“The new system is similar to the one that was recently installed at the Kinnoull Street car park, and which is widely used across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
“Since the new system was installed we have seen no decline in the number of motorists using the car park.
“Historically, at Kinnoull Street, there was a serious issue of people parking but not paying, which simply wasn’t fair on those people that did.
“We are pleased to say we have now seen a substantial increase in the number of people paying for their parking since the introduction of the new system.”