Edinburgh parking: Angry public meeting over plans for Controlled Parking Zone in Portobello

Portobello/Craigmillar Conservative councillor Tim Jones said council officials were shouted down and transport convener Stephen Jenkinson struggled to control the meeting as locals voiced their opposition to the scheme.

The council wants to introduce a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) stretching from King's Road to Joppa, operating from 8.30m to 5.30pm seven days a week. Residents would pay for parking permits to be able to park in or near their street and others would have to use pay and display machines.

Campaigners against the CPZ leafleted cars in Portobello | TSPL

The Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) have been published and the formal consultation closes on May 23.

Cllr Jones said more than 500 people packed Portobello town hall for Tuesday night's meeting. "The main seating area at ground level was completely packed and people were sitting in the gallery. They were queuing for about 45 minutes beforehand to get in. I was just amazed at the number of people there."

He said it was a highly-charged meeting with "relentless questioning" from the audience.

"The officers and the chair were jeered, hissed at and booed. The officer wanted to do a 10-minue introduction, but he spoke for about a minute and people started shouting out 'We don't want to hear your council speak'. He tried to struggle on but they wouldn't let him. What followed was two hours of intense questions from the audience.

"The atmosphere was electric. It was controlled rage. It was very difficult for Cllr Jenkinson to keep control."

Cllr Jones said the concerns most often voiced were that Portobello did not need a CPZ and that people did not feel they were being listened to.

"People kept shouting out 'We don't need a CPZ, stop imposing this on us'.

"They pointed out the parking problem was only from May to September, why are you imposing these parking restrictions all year round when there's not a problem outside those months?

"And people were saying they were not being listened to. The council had already made up their mind, and this was just a tick-box exercise."

He said people had raised the controversy over the closure of nearby Brunstane Road. "There were three consultations over that and the overwhelming majority opposed the closure of Brunstane Road, but the council didn't listen, they overrode the wishes of the people. People were saying 'This is just another Brunstane Road'.”

Cllr Jones said businesses were unhappy and said they were going to have to close because their clientele just couldn't afford the parking charges.

"Throughout the evening people shouted out 'We don't want your CPZ, leave us alone. we don't need a CPZ'.

"Near the end, a woman shouted out 'How many people here oppose the CPZ?' and over 500 hands went up. Then someone shouted out 'There are people here who do want a CPZ' and a few hands went up."

Cllr Jones said the Brunstane Road closure had left people distrusting the council. "A clear majority of people objected to the Brunstane Road closure and they have been ignored. People have come to this meeting full of anger about that and they believe the same is going to happen here.

“I fully support the majority of residents who oppose the CPZ in Portobello and I made that clear in my election leaflet in 2022. This is a political decision made by the previous SNP/Labour administration and perpetuated by the present Labour administration. The Scottish Conservative group have consistently opposed any traffic regulation which does not have the support of the majority of residents."

And he called for an independent traffic management study of the area worst affected by parking. "There is a problem with parking during that busy period from May to September, but I don't think just imposing a model from the city centre on Portobello is the answer."

Cllr Jenkinson said the meeting had been called by council leader Jane Meagher as one of the Portobello/Craigmillar councillors but he had stepped in to chair it because she was out of town. And he said the meeting had been “fairly hostile”.

“There were very clear views from the audience. However, the purpose of the meeting was really for council officers to explain the process and answer general questions.

“We are seeking views on the CPZ, positive, negative and neutral. But we reiterated a number of times that the way to engage with the consultation is through the formal process. To dtae there have been 1,300 comments and every single one of these comments will be responded to as part of the report that goes to committee. Officers will bring a suite of proposals, which the committee will vote on.”