More than 200 Edinburgh drivers fined in first week of pavement parking crackdown

More than 200 fines were issued to drivers in Edinburgh in the first week of a crackdown on parking on pavements.

New figures show parking attendants handed out 218 fixed penalty notices from when the rules started to be enforced on Monday, January 29 until the end Tuesday, February 6. Of those, 179 were for pavement parking, 11 were for parking at a dropped kerb and another 28 were for double parking.

The Capital became the first Scottish local authority to start fining motorists after the Scottish Government allowed councils to introduce bans. Drivers are fined £100 for each infringement with the sum reduced to £50 if it is paid within 14 days.

Edinburgh is now enforcing the pavement parking ban

City chiefs claim the move will help to free up space for pedestrians, especially those with wheelchairs and prams. Attendants are focusing their efforts on busy streets and those where problems with illegal parking have been reported.

A poll by the local authority suggested most residents of the city were in favour of the new rules, but some motorists have worried about the impact on residential streets with limited spaces. City council transport convener Scott Arthur celebrated the figures by sharing them on social media.

And he told The Scotsman: “We introduced these changes to make our streets safer and more accessible for everyone, and we’re already seeing more considerate parking across the city.

"I’ve heard from people too, including those with visual impairments or mobility issues, who really appreciate clear and passable pavements as a result of the ban.”