Tag: consultation

Have your say on diesel surcharge

The city council’s consultation on imposing a diesel surcharge on parking permits closes this Sunday (28 January). The council wants to find out the views of people living, working or visiting Edinburgh on the proposal to apply a surcharge on parking permits issued to owners of diesel vehicles.  Have your say …

Through the Council’s Parking Action Plan, we are reviewing parking permits in Edinburgh with the aim to improve air quality and enhance quality of life.

In the past, diesel was considered to be more environmentally-friendly than petrol, as it produces less CO2 per mile. Fuel duty and road tax changed to encourage people to buy diesel cars to cut their carbon footprint. As a result, the number of diesel cars on Britain’s roads increased from around 7% in 1994 to around 40% today.

Internal combustion engines have become cleaner and more efficient in recent years, but diesel vehicles still produce higher emissions of Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and harmful Particulate Matter (PM).

The Councillors who sit on the Transport and Environment Committee have asked us to consult with residents and businesses on a proposal to apply a surcharge on parking permits issued to owners of diesel vehicles.

Some background

Diesel vehicles work best for longer journeys on motorways, but are not well suited to shorter and slower trips in built up areas like Edinburgh’s city centre. There is growing evidence to suggest that diesel engines;

  • contribute to poor air quality
  • increase the risk of lung cancer
  • can cause heart attacks and
  • reduce life expectancy.

Major world cities including Madrid and Mexico City have pledged to ban diesel vehicles and several London Boroughs have already introduced a diesel surcharge on residents’ parking permits.

With an estimated 8,000 diesel permit holders’ vehicles in Edinburgh we need to consider how we can tackle pollution, enhance air quality and improve the health of people living and working in Edinburgh.

Why We Are Consulting

We want to find out the views of people living, working or visiting Edinburgh on the proposal to apply a surcharge on parking permits issued to owners of diesel vehicles.

Give Us Your Views

Online Survey

Have your say on Human Rights

How the Scottish Parliament ensures Human Rights are respected in Scotland is to be the subject of a new Holyrood committee inquiry. The Equalities and Human Rights Committee has launched a call for views and hopes to hear from as many people in Scotland as possible. In particular, it is seeking to hear from human rights experts as well as those with lived experience of fighting for their rights. Continue reading Have your say on Human Rights

Reducing loneliness and isolation: draft strategy open for consultation.

‘Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate’ – Jo Cox

A new national strategy, one of the first in the world, is being developed to tackle loneliness and isolation. The draft plan, now open for consultation, will look at the causes of social isolation and loneliness and how they can be addressed. Continue reading Reducing loneliness and isolation: draft strategy open for consultation.

Massive public response to ivory sales ban consultation

More than 60,000 people respond to the Government’s proposed ban on ivory sales to help bring an end to elephant poaching

There has been a massive public response to the Government’s proposed ban on ivory sales – with over 60,000 responses to the public consultation, making it one of Defra’s most popular ever. Of the responses analysed so far the overwhelming majority support a ban. In the past week more than 30,000 responses were submitted before the consultation closed. Continue reading Massive public response to ivory sales ban consultation

Holyrood committee seeks your views on proposed planning changes

Edinburgh twilight

Will proposed changes to the planning system in Scotland give communities a greater say on their places? And will this protect the built and natural environment in Scotland? Continue reading Holyrood committee seeks your views on proposed planning changes

Local Governance Review to ‘strengthen local decision-making’

Communities to have their say on how more decisions can be taken at a local level

 

The Scottish Government and COSLA have jointly launched a Local Governance Review, which will make sure local communities have more say about how public services in their area are run. The review will involve hearing from communities all across the country to get a clear understanding of the type of changes that are needed, and how these can be made to happen. Continue reading Local Governance Review to ‘strengthen local decision-making’