Angus parking meters are finally being scrapped in an end to the costly decision to bring back off-street charging.
A move to remove the meters installed at 33 car parks across the area is part of Thursday’s SNP administration budget.
The step adds another £50,000-plus to the already substantial costs the failed scheme racked up.
It generated a fraction of the projected £700,000-a-year income.
Solar-powered meters have remained covered since March 26 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
One campaigner who led protests against the scheme said it had been a disaster from the outset.
Kirriemuir businessman Barrie Ewart said: “I’m delighted to hear they are finally making the full U-turn.
“I think it demonstrates that the right way forward for the small towns of Angus is not to have charges.
“There wasn’t proper consultation, the way they did it wasn’t particularly clever.”
Car parking scheme hit trouble from the start
After a gap of more than 20 years, off-street parking charges returned to Angus in November 2018.
The scheme cost £354,000 to introduce.
But car parks emptied virtually overnight as drivers found somewhere else to park for free.
- Meters were set on fire in Brechin and vandalised with glue in Montrose
- A convoy of motorists delivered a 5,000-signature petition to Angus Council headquarters in Forfar
- Almost £50,000 was spent converting meters to accept cash after complaints from drivers
- The only full-year return was £324,000 – less than half the forecast income
- Carnoustie meters generated just £431 in 12-months
What direction might Angus car parking take now?
Motorists can park for free in on-street bays for up to an hour.
Although off-street car parks remain free, tickets can still be issued for offences such as occupying blue badge spaces illegally and parking outwith marked bays.
You also cannot park for longer than 72 hours.
Council leader Bill Duff said: “The view of the public was clear, they did not want to pay car parking charges.
“Many of our car parks are in quite a poor state of repair.
“We estimate it will cost around £2.5 million to resurface them.
“That money will now have to be found from elsewhere in the council’s budget.”
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