Edinburgh becomes first city in Scotland to ban pavement parking as new rules come into force

Edinburgh has become the first city in Scotland to enforce a ban on pavement parking.

Local authorities were given new powers to stop vehicles from parking on pavements by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, which came into effect in December.

The rules, which have come into force on Monday January 29, are designed to protect pavement users – especially those in wheelchairs or pushing buggies – who may be forced onto the road by vehicles taking up the pavement.

Drivers caught parking on pavements, double-parking and parking across dropped kerbs will face a £100 fine, reduced to £50 if they pay within 14 days.

After assessing 5,000 roads in the city, Edinburgh council wrote to residents in a small number of streets last winter to help them prepare for the measures.

Edinburgh council’s transport convener, Scott Arthur, said: “These new rules are about making our streets safer and more accessible for everyone, in particular those with visual impairments or mobility issues.

“I’ve heard from many people who say the change will make their day-to-day life much easier.

“I have also been pleased to hear that, as a result of our publicity campaign, pavement parking is already reducing in some areas.”

He added: “I am proud that Edinburgh is leading the way on enforcing the ban, and that all political parties here agree that no street should be exempt.

“I would expect everyone to adhere to the new prohibitions once in place, but we’ll continue to monitor streets across the city to make sure the impacts on the wider network are minimal.”

Currently, London is the only city in the UK where parking on pavements is banned.