TWO years since its introduction, frustration is building in Largs at the technical troubles that continue to plague the town's seafront car park.

Largs Community Council chairman Jim Phillips claimed he had witnessed a "near bust-up" at the facility recently when vehicles were unable to leave.

The car park's entry and exit system has broken down on several occasions since it was introduced. 

Plans are in place to convert the car park to a 'pay and display' facility.

Mr Phillips pointed out that people who had come to visit the town from Glasgow couldn't get out of the car park as it wasn't taking cards or cash, and asked what was being done to resolve the matter.

He told LCC's latest meeting: "Given that £85,000 was spent on the the seafront car park facility I would have thought it should be working perfectly by now."

Independent North Coast councillor Ian Murdoch said the system had continuously broken down since its introduction, and pointed out that an attendant had had to be employed at the end of last summer because the barrier had repeatedly got stuck.

Cllr Murdoch said: "Ever since the new infrastructure went in, it has never worked correctly.

"We are now looking at having it changed so it is a pay and display facility.

"It has been a fiasco. It is so disappointing the the way it has been handled.

"But we are where we are, and we now need to try and get it resolved as quickly as possible for the summer season, and the pay and display solution looks the best option."

Community councillor Wendy Low Thomson added that the seafront car park, which raises important revenue for the town, has lost out on a lot of money because of the continuing problems.

She said: "It has cost us a blooming fortune."

Cllr Murdoch said he was all too well aware of the lost revenue.

He said he would contact council officials to find out the latest, and admitted he wasn't sure why it was taking so long for the pay and display feature to be introduced.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We are working with an operator to convert the seafront car park to ‘pay and display’ and expect this process to be completed within the next six weeks and before the summer season. There will be no change to the charges.”