DRASTIC changes to parking regulations in East Lothian – including the introduction of parking charges in towns, in council-run car parks and for residents’ permits – have stalled after Conservative and SNP councillors refused to give their backing.

The proposed Parking Management Plan (PMP) was part of a Local Transport Strategy due to be put out to public consultation after an East Lothian Council meeting on Tuesday.

But the inclusion of a proposed new system which would see town parking charges used to tackle rogue parkers and congestion in towns proved a step too far for the opposition councillors.

And the council’s Labour minority administration, faced with losing the vote, conceded ground in the first major challenge to its control since the local elections in May.

The PMP proposed introducing £40-a-year charges for residents’ parking permits, which are currently free, as well as on-street and off-street parking charges in town centres, and expanding the current coastal car parking charge venues to include car parks at Aberlady Nature Reserve, Skateraw and Thorntonloch, which are currently exempt, and add in additional sites at Morrison’s Haven, west of Prestonpans, and the Ash Lagoons at Musselburgh.

Among council-owned free car parks which could see charges introduced are the long-stay car park beside Tesco, Haddington, which has 138 spaces; Gracefield, behind The Brunton, Musselburgh, which offers 94 spaces; The Glebe and Imperial car parks in North Berwick, which offer 148 spaces between them; and the Bleachingfield in Dunbar, which has 67 spaces.

The plan also proposes additional park and ride facilities in Dunbar and Tranent and a proposal to expand the streets included in Musselburgh residents’ parking zone in the Whitehill area near Queen Margaret University (QMU) to take in almost all of the housing in the Clayknowes area.

There are currently 754 residents’ parking permits in East Lothian, with 540 issued around QMU.

A residents’ parking scheme in Haddington presently issues 164 permits while the third county scheme, in North Berwick, gives out 50 permits.

Councillors were asked to approve the transport strategy for public consultation at a meeting on Tuesday.

But Councillor Brian Small (Con), opposition leader, said the PMP gave his group “a great deal of discomfort”.

He said: “I think this needs to be discussed more by the council before putting it out to consultation; local democracy needs to take place.”

And Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader, said going forward with a consultation when opposition councillors opposed charges would be “duplicitous”.

But Councillor Fiona O’Donnell (Lab) said: “I think we have to give people the opportunity to express their views on all of the issues.”

Councillors held a 10-minute adjournment and when they returned Mr Small said his party wanted a continuation so that discussions could be held to find a parking management strategy that was “something we would be comfortable with”.

Mr Currie said he would support a continuation to allow officials to come back with a strategy which the SNP could also back.

Councillor Norman Hampshire (Lab), acting group leader, said he was disappointed.

He said: “I accept if the other two groups are not prepared to take the risk of going out to consultation in this current form.”

And Councillor Jim Goodfellow (Lab) said: “I am extremely disappointed. As councillor for North Berwick ward the biggest item on the doorstep has been the parking strategy.”

The council voted by 18 votes to three to continue the decision on the local transport strategy for further discussions.

Councillors who opposed the motion were Jim Goodfellow, John McMillan and Colin McGinn (all Lab).