Pavement parking ban is moment to cherish - Kevin Lang
Such an occasion came last week at City of Edinburgh Council transport committee when councillors from all five parties; Liberal Democrat, SNP, Labour, Conservative and Green; voted to fully enforce a new ban on pavement parking from the New Year.
The idea of a ban has been a long time coming. For those of us who have championed and campaigned for a change in law for so long, it’s with a mix of joy and relief that we know the ban will, at last, be in force.
I’ll hold my hands up. For me, this is personal. After a long period of ill health, my own mother now gets out and about because of her mobility scooter.
Yet, too often, she is forced off pavements because drivers have recklessly blocked the pavements where she lives.
It means she’s forced to travel on and down roads, often suffering verbal abuse from drivers in the process. It can be the same story for those with buggies, pushchairs, and prams. Those with visual impairments are impacted too.
This is why last week’s decision was such an important and positive step. This simple change in the law can and will make a big difference to the lives of many hundreds of people across our city.
I’m also proud that Edinburgh has taken such a strong lead on this. There are so many areas where the city council either gets it wrong or is simply too slow to act.
However, Edinburgh will be one of the very first local authorities anywhere in Scotland to fully implement and enforce the new pavement parking ban. Of course, it’s important that people are made fully aware of the change.
The Council also has an important role in enforcing the new law properly.
For now though, let’s take a moment to treasure this decision, and celebrate the fact all political parties put aside their squabbles to take it together.
Councillor Kevin Lang is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Edinburgh Council