Furious residents warn East Lothian Council of 'war' over North Berwick parking charges

East Lothian Council has been warned it faces a war in North Berwick as a new campaign against parking charges in the town is launched.

Parking charges are due to start being enforced next month despite a wave of protests from local residents and businesses in the seaside town.

However, new meters which have been installed have been vandalised, and signs promoting the charges have been spray-painted with the word ‘resist’ in some weeks ahead of the charges being brought into force.

Now, a social media campaign has been launched, urging residents to lodge formal complaints with the council about the introduction of the scheme, as they aim to flood the local authority’s complaints department.

North Berwick Community Council has called for people to refrain from criminal damage after the attacks on meters and signs.

The community council took to its Facebook page to comment on the damage to meters, saying that while they understood the ‘frustration’ people felt, the attacks were criminal.

They said: “This will probably be investigated by the police, and if they find those responsible, they will probably bring charges.”

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 waved 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” at 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.

And they warned there will be more to come as the council pushes ahead with its plans.

One person said: “This isn’t mindless vandalism. This is (in my opinion) a community that is ready to fight back at a council that most people believe doesn’t listen to the local community.”

Another added: “This is becoming a widespread revolution against a deeply unpopular council which refuses to listen to its electorate! Cancel the project before this turns into a war!”

Not everyone welcomed the incidents, though, with others warning it would only cost taxpayers more in the end.

One warned: “All this means is that council tax payers pay for replacements…mindless.”

East Lothian Council has said that it is aware of reports of vandalism, but the plans to begin charging for parking in the town remain in place.