Day: June 22, 2023

Abortion is Healthcare. Decriminalise Abortion Now!

TODAY – RALLY OUTSIDE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT from 12.30 – 1.30pm

The Abortion Rights Scotland campaign will be joined by Engender and representatives of other organisations to call for decriminalisation of abortion care in Scotland.

MSPs have been invited to come outside to talk with us. 

Abortion healthcare has been in the headlines again. In Scotland, although the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 does not apply, our abortion services are framed by the 1967 Abortion Act.

Audrey Brown, retired NHS abortion care consultant said: “Abortion care in Scotland is delivered through the NHS. It is time for abortion care to be regulated by healthcare organisations and providers.

“No-one needing an abortion, or indeed the NHS staff providing abortion healthcare, should be at risk of imprisonment.’ 

The World Health Organisation, along with all the relevant professional health bodies in the UK, and other organisations such as the STUC, all support  decriminalisation. 

The removal of criminal sanctions and oversight for abortion will shift abortion care clearly into being managed and regulated within healthcare provisions more generally. 

In Scotland the vast majority of these services are provided by the NHS. The WHO recommends that nurses and midwives oversee abortion care.

The 1967 legal requirements for signatures from two doctors for every termination carried out, can cause delay for both staff and patients. 

The First Minister, Humza Yousaf MSP, indicated during the SNP leadership campaign that he supported decriminalisation and would bring forward proposals on this within a year. 

It’s time to decriminalise abortion care in Scotland.

New parking controls in Leith and Pilrig from next Monday

From Monday (26 June) new controlled parking zones will become operational in some streets in Leith, meaning you’ll need a permit or pay and display ticket to park.

Zones N7 (Leith Walk / Pilrig) and N8 (Leith and North Leith)

Zones N7 (Leith Walk / Pilrig) and N8 (Leith and North Leith) will be operational from 26 June 2023. Parking permits will be available for sale from 5 June.

The new controls will mean that, during the controlled hours Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, all parking is controlled. During those hours all kerbside space will be managed by yellow lines or parking places. Some restrictions such as double yellow lines and some parking places llike disabled bays and car club bays operate 24 hours a day.

Most parking places will be a mix of permit holder only, shared use which can be used by permit holders and visitors paying to park and pay and display bays, with signage situated at each parking place confirming the restrictions that apply.

Pay and display

The parking charge for pay and display parking in Zones 7 and 8 will be £3.10 per hour.

The signage at the pay and display and shared use parking places will indicate the maximum stay period for paying customers.

Maximum stay periods do not apply to resident permit holders in shared parking places and the relevant RingGo parking code for that location.

Payment for parking can be made using the available pay and display ticket machines, or through the RingGo cashless parking service.

Please note that the new pay and display ticket machines will only accept contactless payments and will not be able to accept cash.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “New controlled Parking Zones which will soon become operational in some streets in Leith have been designed to protect residents’ parking.

“Controls aim to address issues like commuter parking, which people across the city have told us is a problem in their neighbourhoods.

“We’ve been writing to residents and businesses to keep them up to date on when the changes but I would also encourage anyone who lives in or visits the area to visit our website to find out more about the changes and to purchase a permit, if they need one.

“As part of our Strategic Parking Review 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.

“Parking controls don’t only help to maintain priority for residents, but protect against vehicle dominance, encouraging alternative modes of transport, while improving the safety and efficiency of the city’s streets.”

Find out more > https://edinburgh.gov.uk/parking/strategic-parking-review-1/4

Find out more about all of the parking restrictions that apply across Edinburgh.