A parking meter in Aberdeen has finally been repaired – more than two years after it was damaged by thieves.
Two pay-and-display machines in Cornhill Road, near Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, were targeted in September 2011.
But despite the high demand for parking in the area, it is only now that the city council has got rounds to repairs.
Local councillor Bill Cormie said the delay had led to a free-for-all as motorists began parking there all day and local residents were crowded out.
“That pay-and-display area was created to alleviate the problems that we have in the area, and to help residents parking,” he said.
“When the machines were removed we had a free-for-all because of it.
“All of a sudden we had people coming from everywhere to park there all day. It was making a mockery of the thing.
“Parking there is at a premium because you have people going into the city, those who work at the hospital and the residents themselves.
“Sadly, it has taken two and a half years for this to be rectified.”
Council staff had removed the top sections from the machines, leaving the black base stumps on the pavement.
They have now replaced the first machine.
Last night, a council spokesman pointed out that, while the other machine was being repaired, motorists should still be paying for parking – either with the new meter or with a mobile phone parking app.
He said: “There are more than 700 parking meters in the city, which are costly to repair, and maintenance work is carried out on a priority basis.
“The PayByPhone parking service available across the city is a quick and secure way for motorists to pay for parking without the need to find the right change for a pay-and- display machine.”
Under the system, drivers can pay using a mobile phone – rather than feeding coins into a machine – allowing them to top up remotely.