Edinburgh parking: Councillor hits out over permit delays after Gorgie controlled parking zone goes live

Visitor permits delayed as the scheme went live now won’t be issued until the end of next week.

People in Gorgie are facing unfair parking charges and fines, a councillor has warned after delays with visitor permits for the controlled parking zone (CPZ).

Since October 23, under the new CPZ rules, residents are required to pay for permits and drivers from outwith the area must pay and display or face a ticket. But days after it went live, many – including carers for local residents - haven’t received visitor permits.

Some reported they had applied for permits more than two weeks ago but had been told there’s been a delay in receiving them from the supplier. Council chiefs said the delay ‘only affected visitor permits’ and advised people can use pay and display. But local councillor Ross McKenzie said he’s worried about the impact it will have on people who rely on informal carers as well as those facing financial pressures.

Ross McKenzie has called for clarity on the 'grace period' amid permit delays

It comes amid claims of a lack of clarity over the ‘grace period’ for fines, which is said to be between ‘a week or two’. Mr McKenzie called on the council to set it at two weeks and make that clear. It follows calls to halt the roll-out of the scheme amid claims many in the area hadn’t received a letter from the council confirming the implementation date.

Ross McKenzie said: “Visitor permits still haven’t been delivered and residents have been told not to expect them until next week. Telling visitors to park in ‘pay and display’ bays shows a real lack of understanding of the financial challenges that people are facing. It’s unacceptable.

"I have an elderly constituent whose son visits her for three hours twice a week. That would cost £18.20 if he uses ‘pay and display’ – more than three times the cost of using visitor permits. We’re talking about significant sums of money for those relying on informal carers. The people I’m most concerned about are the ones I don’t hear from – people who aren’t online and haven’t received information from the council. They’re going to end up paying fines that they can’t afford.

“This line about showing “discretion for a week or two” doesn’t cut it. People in Gorgie need to know that no fines will be issued for the first 2 weeks – that would take us up until the end of next week. if visitor permits still haven’t arrived then a further extension of the ‘grace period’ would be required.”

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He added that he felt that Councillor Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener, had ignored residents’ concerns. “I’m really disappointed that Cllr Arthur has chosen to dismiss the concerns of Gorgie residents,” he said. “It became clear in early October that a longer and more clearly defined grace period would be required due to the appalling communication of the live date and permit application process, but that was dismissed."

Cllr Arthur said: "We're working to get visitor permits out to residents as quickly as possible, and hope to have delivered them by the end of the week. In the meantime, we have ensured there are pay and display spaces around controlled parking zones so visitors can park there. As with any new parking restriction, we allow a bedding in period. We’ll show discretion for a week or two to allow people to accommodate the changes."

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