Despite more than 100 complaints, the replacement of Masterton's ageing parking meters is hamstrung until the Government rolls out ultrafast broadband.
Masterton District Council has set aside $631,000 for improving centre-town streets, but they fear if they upgrade the streets now they would have to rip them up again as the Government lays fibre optics as part of its nationwide broadband strategy.
Assets and resources manager David Hopman said the council had decided to tie the two projects together to save time and resources - putting the fibre in while improving the streets - but months of government delays had now become council delays.
But replacing the meters had never been more pressing after the council received 117 complaints between July and October this year.
Many of the meters can't be fixed because they are now obsolete.
Out-of-order meters also meant there was less revenue to cover the cost of wardens and maintenance, turning a cost-neutral activity into a drain on the council books.
The delays at the Government's end were due to its prolonged decision over who would win the multimillion-dollar contract to lay the cables.
The Government awarded $200 million contracts to Wel Networks and Northpower to connect several cities by 2015 - but this did not include Masterton.
Mr Hopman said the council had been in talks with Telecom but nothing was certain until the Government's decision was made on a fibre optics partner.
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