Edinburgh prepares launch of Parking Action Plan

Work has begun to prepare for the introduction of new parking controls as part of Edinburgh’s Parking Action Plan. City of Edinburgh Council has started amending parking places and signs across the city centre in readiness for changes next year, which will include the introduction of Sunday parking restrictions.
Sunday controls will begin coming into force in spring 2021. This will require replacing more than 1,000 signs in the four central parking zones.

“We need to rethink the way people and goods move in and around the city, reducing the dominance of traffic and creating streets and spaces for people,” said Cllr Lesley Macinnes, transport and environment convener. “Parking initiatives will help reduce car commuting and congestion, improve safety and air quality and encourage walking, cycling and public transport use. We also want to provide better flexibility and deliver best value for local residents.”

The Parking Action Plan, which was approved in 2016, is seen key to the city realising its ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030.

“In Edinburgh we are working toward a greener, healthier more sustainable transport future, where we have achieved carbon neutrality and improved air quality. It’s essential that we address parking and car use if we are to realise this, helping to create a better, safer place to live,” said Macinnes.

“Of course, we know how important parking provision is for residents and businesses, and the Parking Action Plan strives to balance these needs with our ambitions. These actions were developed with the people that live and work here in mind and we will continue to take this into account as we progress with plans. We’re now beginning preparations for Sunday parking restrictions, which respond to the public’s changing travel habits, as well as shared use parking, to deliver greater flexibility for drivers.”

Work includes: changing existing bay markings to shared use bays; offering additional parking places for residents; changing existing signage to include Sunday times of operation; and adding additional double yellow lines around junctions for enhanced road safety.

This work will allow changes being introduced next year, such as:

• Sunday parking controls across the city centre
• electronic visitor parking permits across the controlled parking zone, including zones one to four
• new resident permit charges based on vehicle emissions
• a diesel surcharge for parking permits.