BAFFLED workmen had to excavate around a luxury Mercedes after the owner moved barriers in his determination to get a parking space.
The black Mercedes saloon was marooned on an island of untouched road at Edinburgh’s Waverley train station as diggers ripped up the surrounding area.
Network Rail – who own the car park – said barriers were put up on Thursday night to prepare for engineering work on Friday.
But the single-minded owner decided to move the barriers so he could park his vehicle, a Mercedes S320CDI worth £60,000.
But the driver, who police were trying to trace last night, could be in hot water when he eventually returns.
Network Rail said they had the right to charge the driver for any costs incurred as a result of delays to the £100m refurbishment of Waverley Station.
Rail bosses decided yesterday morning not to tow the car as a gesture of “good faith” in case the owner returned.
But as the morning wore on they had to send the diggers in, working around the parked vehicle.
Workers even went to the length of creating a “ramp” in front of the Mercedes so the driver could remove the vehicle.
One, who asked not to be named, confirmed: “We can’t move it. The people who own the car park have tried to contact its owner.”
Passers-by were bemused by the scene. One woman, who asked not to be named, said: “It seems a bit daft. Why not tow it?”
Pictures of the bizarre site were posted on social media.
Laura Hammersley posted the image on the Facebook group “Edinburgh’s Worst Drivers”.
She wrote: “Guessing they overstayed in the car park next to Waverley Station.”
A Network Rail spokesman said: “That vehicle was parked there last night.
“It seems the driver removed the barriers and just left.
“We don’t know who did it or why but we have asked the police to look into tracking the owner down.”
Asked why engineers continued the work despite the car being there, the spokesman added: “We could have held off but we were running a tight schedule.
“Any delays cost money and further inconvenience to customers.
“We decided to leave the car out of good faith in case the owner returned – when he didn’t by the close of business on Friday workers there left a tarmac ramp so he could drive off.
“Just as in cases where people crash into bridges and so on, we are well within our right to claim any losses back from the individual.”
The only possible clue to the owner’s identity last night came from the website Regarchive.com.
It says the car’s licence plate was first registered in Dundee between September 2000 and February 2001.
