Edinburgh City Council explores cutting free parking on holidays

Free parking on holidays in the capital could be ended in a bid to increase funding for ‘lifeline’ Edinburgh bus services.

Currently, parking is free on Boxing Day, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and New Years’ Day.

But on Thursday, councillors voted to explore cutting all four free parking days to help fund vital but commercially unprofitable bus routes in the city.

Labour councillor and Transport and Environment Committee convener Stephen Jenkinson said: “The idea is to try and widen the scope, just to see what the art of the possible is with regards to how much finance could potentially be raised.”

The original plan, as presented by Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross, was to cut free parking on Boxing Day and Easter Monday, but leave the other two parking holidays intact.

However, he accepted an amendment to his motion by Cllr Jenkinson that will see officers explore cutting all four parking holidays.

Cllr Ross said: “In context of making standard charges across the board, 365 days a year, I did explore that with parking officers.

“We looked at Christmas Day and New Years’ Day, and the response I had was that that wouldn’t produce any revenue.

“It would cost the council, simply because of the overtime rates that would require to be paid to the parking wardens. But we can explore that as well.”

Council officers will also explore how much revenue could be brought in for subsidising bus services from several other parking changes.

These include abolishing ‘pay and display’ parking bays near the city centre, as well as getting rid of free motorcycle parking bays in the city.

Cllr Ross previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he hoped any funds raised from the possible parking changes could support the addition of new bus services in the city, which run on unprofitable yet socially useful routes.

One example is the 42 bus – axed two years ago, it provided a link between Craigleith and Portobello.

The city currently subsidises several bus routes, both through Lothian Buses and through other operators, but it is hoped that any services funded by increased parking income would be new.

SNP councillor Neil Gardiner expressed hope that funding from any possible change to the parking rules could help fund improved bus service to Ratho.

He said: “What we need to do in this area is bring innovative thinking.

“I think there’s an appetite with the Lost Shore wave garden in our ward as well to potentially contribute to a better bus service for Ratho, which is currently, shamefully, the most isolated community in Edinburgh.

“Ratho wants action. I hope that I can get support across the chamber for that today to get one more step in what we’re all looking for, to get Ratho its bus service.”

An amendment filed by Cllr Gardiner asking officers to explore opportunities for businesses to support the running of subsidised bus routes was approved by councillors.

Officers will report back on the feasibility of making the parking changes to subsidise bus services at the September meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee.