Sunday parking fees set to be introduced

Sunday parking: ‘Status quo not sustainable’ – Cllr Lesley Hinds

City councillors will decide how Sunday parking controls will be introduced at a meeting of the Transport and Environment committee next week.

At their last meeting in March, members of the committee agreed in principle to extend new parking controls to Sundays and requested further details on costs involved and the implementation of the wider plan.

A report going before the Committee on Tuesday (7 June) sets out the relative benefits and financial implications of three different options and asks councillors to decide which one should be progressed.

It also outlines the financial implications of proposals in the draft Parking Action Plan to roll out shared use parking into zones 1 to 8.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “We’ve already agreed that we need to introduce some parking controls on Sundays, as the status quo is simply not sustainable now that Edinburgh, like so many other places, has become much more of a 24/7 city in terms of socialising and shopping habits.

“However, Committee required further information in order to make a decision on how parking could be controlled on Sundays and this report now sets out three different options.

“What we need to do is to achieve a balance between alleviating uncontrolled parking and increasing turnover for  businesses and making travel easier for residents and visitors. It will be for Committee to decide, based on how the different options fit with consultation feedback and so on; once an option’s been agreed, we can finalise the Parking Action Plan and get ready to put it into action.”

The three options for Sunday parking arrangements set out in the report are:

– Option 1: Partial Control, with all restrictions in zones 1 to 4 and main routes throughout the CPZ operating between 1300 and 1830;

– Option 2: Partial Control, with all restrictions in zones 1 to 4 operating between 1300 and 1830 and main route restrictions throughout the CPZ operating 0800 and 1830; and

– Option 3: Full Control, with all restrictions in zones 1 to 4 operating between 0830 and 1830 and main route restrictions throughout the CPZ operating 0800 and 1830.

The draft Parking Action Plan was originally developed to create a cohesive approach to parking in Edinburgh, encouraging active travel and safeguarding residents’ spaces while supporting the city’s economy.

Amongst actions suggested were the roll-out of shared-use parking for permit holders and pay and display customers, visitor permits and the introduction of parking controls on Sundays.

A public consultation on proposals was held at the end of 2015, with responses communicated to the Transport and Environment Committee on 15 March 2016.