Traffic wardens have been left powerless to issue parking fines in Perth for the next month.
The loophole, which leaves motorists free to flout ticket rules, was slammed as a “blunder”, while Perth and Kinross council appealed to the public not to “abuse” the situation.
The local authority claimed thesituation had been deliberate to allow traffic wardens to “support and advise” the public in the early days of newcharging arrangements, including free 15 minute parking.
But Councillor Alexander Stewart hit out saying: “This is nothing short of ablunder we have to acknowledge it is a blunder on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council.
“The council have to acknowledge that they got it wrong.”
Mr Stewart said that during thefree-for-all there would be a negative impact if people parked for long periods, blocking spaces and reducing turnover which could rob businesses of passing trade.
A council spokesman said: “When the parking charges trial started in Perth city on Monday January 11 all parking attendants were briefed about how the introduction of the changes were to be managed, including notissuing penalty charge notices forpeople who don’t display free 15 minutetickets, or who return late to their cars during the initial bedding in period.
“This is because we appreciate that it will take a bit of time for people to get used to the changes. Instead we are encouraging parking attendants to advise and support motorists tounderstand the new parking zones and charges.
“We don’t have a set time period for ending the bedding in period, which only applies to council-owned car parks and on-street parking in Perth city.
“However, it’s likely to lastapproximately a month and as such we advertised the relevant traffic order on Wednesday of this week.
“We would encourage motorists to pay and display as usual throughout this time as abuse of the system will simply speed up the return of fining to protect those motorists who do park with consideration of other users.
“If anyone is aware of, or is concerned about, particular areas where they think this policy is being abused please contact our customer service centre on 01738 475000 with information so that we can monitor this.”
Murdo Fraser MSP felt it was “human nature” that people would takeadvantage of the situation but called on motorists to be “sensible”.
“A lack of available parking spaces is one of the biggest detractors for people coming to Perth city centre and the new 15 minute tickets were designed to help encourage greater turnover of spaces and more people coming to visit,” he said.
“However it would appear as though this system is being abused in the interim which could result in fewer spaces being made available toshoppers.”