New Scotland wide parking legislation means that councils now have powers to enforce incorrect parking, including
- parking on pavements
- double parking
- parking at crossing points
- parking on verges, which lie between roads and pavements.
The new rules will come into force in December 2023. A national parking campaign will raise awareness of the new rules. We intend to start issuing parking tickets in Edinburgh, using these new rules, from January 2024. We are still able to issue parking tickets to vehicle parked on the pavment where there is an existing kerbside restriction.
Why we’re introducing new rules
The new rules will make it safer for pedestrians and road users.
Parking on pavements
- prevents people from walking safely down streets and around their neighbourhood
- can also be hazardous for people with disabilities or those pushing prams or buggies
- damages pavements, which are expensive to repair and become a trip hazard for everyone.
Double parking
- can make it dangerous for vulnerable people to cross the road safely
- prevents people in wheelchairs from crossing the road where vehicles are parked next to dropped kerbs.
Parking attendants will have powers to issue Penalty charge notices (parking tickets) to vehicles parked on pavements, at crossing points or double parked. A parking ticket will be issued at the national level of £100 but reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days. This follows a similar process to existing parking tickets issued in Edinburgh.
Survey and enforcement
We have surveyed more than 5,000 roads across Edinburgh to prepare for the new powers coming into effect. A small number of streets were identified where significant pavement parking is currently taking place. There are others where parking displacement or other traffic management problems may arise due to the introduction of the pavement parking ban.
A report on the results of the survey findings and proposals for the introduction of the new parking rules in Edinburgh was submitted to committee in November 2023.
Read the November 2023 Transport and Environment committee report
You can also find the full report and read further details on your ward about the introduction of the new rules in your area and to see if your street may be affected.
Download the Footway Parking Report
The Council has decided that there will be no exemptions proposed to allow any one to park on pavements or footways in the city. We will write to residents in streets where there are already pavement parking problems. Making them aware of the forthcoming changes and asking them to park their vehicles safely. We will monitor the impact of the new parking rules over the coming months and find out if any mitigation measures are needed. There are some exceptions to the regulations within the law where we will be unable to enforce against, but these do not apply where there are existing parking controls and mainly relate to emergency service vehicles.
Report
You can now tell us about incorrect parking on footways, double parking and parking at dropped crossings using our report incorrectly parked vehicles online form. Enforcement of the new rules will start in 2024, but we may still be able to take action if there's an existing kerb side restriction. We will also use the information to plan and issue warning notices, raising raise awareness before issuing any parking tickets.
More information
More information can be found on the new rules and about the publicity campaign on the Road Safety Scotland website.