Enforcement against parking on pavements, parking at crossing points and double parking will begin in Edinburgh on Monday, 29 January.
National regulations giving councils the power to enforce the new rules came into effect on 11 December. The change addresses the inconvenience inconsiderate parking causes to all road users, in particular those with mobility issues, visual impairments, and people with pushchairs.
Following an assessment of more than 5000 roads officers have identified a small number of streets where there is significant pavement parking and have written to these properties to help them prepare for the measures. Once the ban is in place monitoring will continue to ascertain whether any of these streets require mitigation measures, such as double-yellow lines, to minimise potential negative impacts on the wider road network.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said:
These new rules are about making our streets safer and more accessible for everyone, in particular those with visual impairments or mobility issues.
I’ve heard from many people who say the change will make their day-to-day life much easier. I have also been pleased to hear that, as a result of our publicity campaign, pavement parking is already reducing in some areas.
Officers have been working hard over recent months to prepare for the changes coming into force and have been in contact with residents on streets where pavement parking is a real problem. I am proud that Edinburgh is leading the way on enforcing the ban, and that all political parties here agree that no street should be exempt.
I would expect everyone to adhere to the new prohibitions once in place, but we’ll continue to monitor streets across the city to make sure the impacts on the wider network are minimal.
The Council has always supported a ban on pavement parking and has collaborated closely with Living Streets and Guide Dogs Scotland to lobby for the introduction of controls in Scotland. This will help ensure Edinburgh’s roads and footways are accessible for all, which is central to our vision of an equal, accessible and sustainable city as part of the City Mobility Plan.
The prohibitions first featured in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, though the necessary regulations required to support the enforcement and appeals procedures have only recently been finalised by Transport Scotland.
Anyone found to be parked on a pavement, double parked, parked at a crossing point or parked on a verge between roads and pavements could be subject to a £100 fine, reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days. There are no exemptions in place.
Find out more about the new parking rules, and report incorrectly parked vehicles, on the Council website.