Edinburgh parking: Work starts on introducing new Controlled Parking Zones across city

Edinburgh council says new restrictions should help alleviate parking pressure
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Work has started on a huge expansion of permit parking across the Capital with new restrictions on where and when people can leave their cars.

Councillors voted last year to introduce new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in dozens of streets in areas including Leith, Abbeyhill and Gorgie. And now signs and road markings have begun being installed in some streets in Leith ahead of the introduction of the new restrictions, which the council says should help alleviate parking pressures.

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Residents living in CPZs who want to park in the street near their homes will be required to pay for a permit. Restrictions will apply Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. More than 1,000 objections were received over the plans. Concerns included fears the restrictions could discourage visitors, restrict access for tradespeople and services and the charges would be unaffordable for residents. Some objectors claimed the restrictions were being introduced in areas where there were no parking problems.

There is no date yet for when the new Controlled Parking Zones will take effect. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.There is no date yet for when the new Controlled Parking Zones will take effect. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.
There is no date yet for when the new Controlled Parking Zones will take effect. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

The preparation work, on a street by street basis, is taking place around Leith Walk, Pilrig and Leith/North Leith, where the first phase of new CPZs is being established. The council says it has written to residents to let them know about the work and how it will affect them, and to advise that parking permits are not yet required.

No date has been fixed for the new zones to come into force, but the preparation work is expected to take two to three months to complete and the council says it will then update residents and advise them about applying for a permit and when it will be needed.

Signs and road markings will be installed in Abbeyhill, Shandon and Gorgie, which are also part of the first phase of new CPZs, later in the year and the council plans to update residents in these areas nearer the time.

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This is the first of up to four phases of implementation of parking controls around the city, developed as part of the Strategic Parking Review, which the council says was a response to concerns from communities across Edinburgh about parking problems. The review identified areas where parking controls could resolve challenges facing residents, in particular from non-residential parking.

Transport convener Councillor Scott Arthur, said: "These new parking controls are designed to help residents park more easily near their homes, and aim to address issues like commuter parking, which people across the city have told us is a problem in their neighbourhoods. In developing these plans officers have spent a great deal of time speaking to residents and gathering information on each area. Once in place, they’ll also be monitoring the impact of the changes to make sure they work for everyone. Of course, the restrictions haven’t come into force yet and we’ll be keeping communities up to date with progress and advice on applying for permits.”

The process of introducing parking controls for phase three areas – including Fettes and Prestonfield – and phase four – including Newhaven, Trinity and Portobello – is expected to begin soon. Phase two – including Easter Road, West Leith, Bonnington, Willowbrae and the A8 corridor – remains on hold pending further monitoring and engagement. The council says monitoring is being carried out before, during and after the implementation of parking controls to help it to understand the impact on surrounding areas.