The ticket machines, which will replace the current parking voucher system due to be phased out on August 30, will cost around £77,000.

They have now been ordered and are expected to be delivered within eight to 12 weeks. Taking installation and replacement signing into account, the total bill for the complete project will be around £110,000.

At a meeting of north east Fife area committee in Cupar on Wednesday, councillors voted by nine votes to six to give the go-ahead for the 28 meters — expected to be grey and stand 1.71 metres high — in South Street, Queen's Gardens, Bell Street, St Mary's Place, Market Street, Greyfriars Garden and North Street.

Later, Derek Crowe, the council's senior roads and engineering services manager, told the Citizen that the committee's decision clarified the position for his department which was "moving into the delivery phase" of the scheme

One of the arguments raised by objectors to the new meter system was that it would add to the "street clutter" in St Andrews.

In a report to committee, however, lead planning officer, Chris Smith, pointed out it needed 40 fewer signs and 13 fewer poles than the 18 existing 'Zone Entry' signs; 12 'Zone Ends'; 51 'Voucher Parking' and 13 associated sign poles used with the voucher system.

For a number of weeks before the summer cross-over from one system to another, the town will have two lots of signs on the streets.

Mr Crowe stressed that, to avoid confusion, the new signs and machines would be kept under wraps until they became operational on Monday, September 1.

He added: "The voucher scheme ends on Sunday, August 30, when we will need to be on site to remove all the voucher parking signs and uncover the pay and display machines and their signs."

At this week's committee meeting, members argued strongly both for and against the application from Fife Council's transportation service.

East Neuk councillor Mike Scott-Hayward moved refusal, after St Andrews councillor Bill Sangster's motion for refusal on grounds of lack of consultation was ruled out of order.

Councillor Scott-Hayward said the scheme, which "did not comply" with planning policy, would obstruct pedestrians, add to the town's street clutter and have a detrimental impact on the historic environment.

St Andrews councillor Robin Waterston moved approval on condition that details of the meters' colour be submitted to the committee for approval. He said he could not find sufficient planning grounds to oppose the application.

Councillors Andrew Arbuckle, Margaret Kennedy, Donald Lothian, David MacDiarmid, Donald Macgregor, Frances Melville, Elizabeth Riches and Maggie Taylor backed him, while councillors Ron Caird, Roger Guy, Bryan Poole, Dorothea Morrison and Bill Sangster all voted with Councillor Scott-Hayward for refusal.