CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce charges at the county’s coastal car parks have been delayed as East Lothian Council officials work to find a way to enforce the fees.

The first barrier was expected to be operational in Gullane this month but the Courier understands that the scheme is now unlikely to be up and running until next year and has fallen down the list of council priorities.

The SNP opposition, which opposed the charges, has renewed calls for the council to scrap the plans.

And they have warned that further delays could have disastrous consequences on next summer’s highly anticipated tourist season, as golf’s Scottish Open comes to East Lothian.

Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader, said: “The coastal car parking charges are an utter shambles.

“We have the Scottish Open coming, with thousands of visitors coming to East Lothian, and if the first barrier is not in place by Christmas they will not be done in time.

“Are we going to have car parks being dug up in the middle of the tourist season?

“The administration’s three-year budget relies on the income from these charges and they have told us it is vital to providing the facilities needed.

“Yet every time questions are asked about the details of the scheme there are no answers.” The council plans to charge people using 10 of the county’s coastal car parks, and has agreed to use barriers at nine of them, with pay and display machines introduced at one.

However, both the cost of using the car parks and the fines which will be handed out to people caught dodging the fees have still to be confirmed.

One of the issues causing a major concern is how they will ensure blue badge holders are able to enter and exit the car parks freely.

A council spokesperson said of the car park scheme: “We are currently running slightly behind schedule as details are worked out due to other priorities.”