East Lothian parking protest video slamming council plans goes viral
An AI generated protest song against plans to introduce parking charges in an East Lothian town has received more than 12,000 views on Facebook.
The song, which was created using Artificial Intelligence by local man Jonathan Duncan, accompanies a video created by his mum in response to the council's plans to put meters in the town centre and introduce residents permits.
East Lothian Council is currently consulting on parking charge plans for towns across the county with work already underway to introduce them in North Berwick.
The proposals, which the council say aim to encourage drivers not to overstay their welcome and free up spaces, have led to angry meetings where local residents have raised concerns about the impact on local businesses.
Debz Duncan has shared videos of Dunbar town centre on social media showing spaces available at different times of the day and Jonathan used an AI created song and music to accompany one of them.
With lyrics that accuse the local authority of treating the town as a 'cash buffet' and warn of council 'spin' it says "the council's plans are a bad disguise, a money grab wrapped in a bunch of lies" and includes a catchy chorus warning the town does not need or want the charges.
Local residents have praised the music video which has been shared nearly 100 times and viewed 12,000 times on the social media channel.
One said "so catchy" while another added "great song".
East Lothian Council says no decisions have been taken on the parking charge proposals and they are 'listening' to the responses from members of the public in the towns.
However Provost John McMillan has been putting the case to residents at a series of meetings across the county where the audience were given red cards to express their dislike of what they heard and green to hold up for what they like.
At a meeting in Haddington last month, where Councillor McMillan faced objectors he told the audience that at Dunbar's public meeting he received a red card from someone in the audience before he even began speaking.
The council says the proposals will "incentivise people to use more sustainable forms of transport such as the local bus network, cycling, wheeling or walking while also raising revenue to ensure parking can be fully enforced."
It adds: "After that, any remaining revenue will be reinvested back into the local transport network and services."
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