Wednesday April 22nd 2026
Recently installed parking meter on North Berwick High Street
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Plans to give some of the profits from controversial parking charges in North Berwick to the town’s Common Good Fund have been revealed in a council report.
The seaside town is the first in East Lothian to introduce parking meters and permits with the council estimating it could bring in more than £1million a year once original costs are recouped.
Now a report on the annual Common Good Fund budgets for the year ahead due to go before councillors next week says some of the ‘surplus income’ from the scheme will be given to the North Berwick fund.
While not specifying the amount it expects to invest in the fund the annual budget for the current year includes an increase in rentals and other income of £12,000 taking the fund balance to £1.178million.
The report to council says: “Any surplus income from the implementation of town centre parking charges due to the North Berwick Common Good will be
transferred in line with the council’s decision to implement the scheme.
“Future budgets will reflect any estimated net income in relation to this.”
Parking meters have already been installed in North Berwick town centre along with signage advising of the new charges, however their initial start date of March has been delayed amid attacks on the machines by vandals.
More than 30 of the 40 meters were covered with glue, foam and other products in an incident described by the manufacturers as “unprecedented”.
The introduction of the charges has been criticised by many people in the town and business owners who are concerned about the impact on their trade with hundreds signing petitions against it.
However East Lothian Council is determined to push ahead with the parking scheme, which is expected to be rolled out to Haddington, Musselburgh, Tranent and Dunbar in the next two years.
A new date for launching the charges in North Berwick is expected to be announced by the council before the end of this month.
A council spokesperson said: “In the parking management reports it was made clear that any income from parking management that is recovered from common good land will be provided to the common good minus the operating costs.”
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