Tag: parking controls

Work underway for new Controlled Parking Zones in Leith and Pilrig

Signs and road markings are set to be installed in some streets in Leith ahead of the introduction of parking controls to help alleviate parking pressures.

From tomorrow (Monday 6 March), work will begin on a street by street basis to implement the changes around Leith Walk, Pilrig and Leith/North Leith, where the first phase of new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) is being established.

The city council has written to residents to let them know about the planned work and how it will affect them, and to advise that parking permits are not yet required. They will provide another update once installation is complete, expected in two-three months, about applying for a permit and when it will be needed.

Later this year, signs and road markings will be introduced in Abbeyhill, Shandon and Gorgie, which are also part of the first phase of new CPZs, and we’ll be writing to update residents in these areas nearer the time.

This is the first of up to four phases of implementation of parking controls around the city, developed as part of the Strategic Parking Review. This responded to concerns from communities across Edinburgh, who asked us to tackle parking problems. The review led to the identification of areas where parking controls may be required to resolve challenges facing residents, in particular from non-residential parking.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “These new parking controls are designed to help residents park more easily near their homes, and aim to address issues like commuter parking, which people across the city have told us is a problem in their neighbourhoods.

“In developing these plans 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.

“Of course, the restrictions haven’t come into force yet and we’ll be keeping communities up to date with progress and advice on applying for permits.”

The council began the Strategic Parking Review in 2018 in response to comments from residents, community councils and ward councillors. The in-depth review identified parking pressures by street and helped inform a series of new parking controls approved in 2019, to be implemented in four phases.

The process to introduce parking controls for phase three (including Fettes and Prestonfield) and phase four (including Newhaven, Trinity and Portobello) is expected to begin soon, while phase two (including Easter Road, West Leith, Bonnington, Willowbrae and the A8 Corridor) remains on hold pending further monitoring and engagement. 

Progress information is available on the Council website.

Monitoring is being carried out before, during and after the implementation of parking controls to help us to understand the impact on surrounding areas.

Find out more about the Strategic Parking Review on the Council website.

Councillors to debate new parking controls proposed for Leith, Gorgie and Shandon

The next steps will be taken toward introducing new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) to help alleviate parking pressures around Edinburgh, if approved by councillors this week.

On Thursday (28 January), Transport and Environment Committee will consider the results of an informal consultation on proposals for new controls in Leith, Gorgie and Shandon, as well as details on the operation of measures. Designs for parking controls have been amended following consultation and, if approved, we’ll commence the legal processes for introducing them.

This is the first of four phases of implementation of parking controls around the city, developed as part of the Strategic Parking Review, which was originally approved in 2018. The review has taken a holistic approach to parking pressures across Edinburgh, assessing the city on a street by street basis.

This has led to the identification of areas where parking controls may be required to resolve challenges facing residents, in particular from non-residential parking.

The report also updates on timescales for phase two (Roseburn, Corstorphine, Willowbrae and Saughton), phase three (Southside and Fettes) and phase four (Newhaven, Trinity, South Morningside, Portobello, Stenhouse and Saughton), which have been impacted by COVID-19.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “This review responds to the concerns of residents across the city, many of whom have told us that they want to see controls introduced to help limit the impact of non-residential parking.

Thanks to an in-depth, citywide analysis we have been able to identify the areas most in need of restrictions. Of course, the way we travel has changed immeasurably over the last year, but the introduction of new CPZs will be extremely beneficial to managing parking pressures when we eventually return to some sense of normality.

Not only do these controls help residents to park near their homes, but they can encourage those travelling into and around the city to consider alternative, sustainable modes of transport.”

The city council began the Strategic Parking Review in 2018 in response to comments from residents, community councils and ward councillors across the city, which demonstrated increasing support for new parking controls to limit non-residential parking.

An in-depth review split the city into five areas, further subdivided into 124 investigation areas, helping to generate heat maps for each location showing relative parking pressures by street. As a result, a series of new parking controls were approved in 2019, to be implemented in four phases.

On Thursday, committee members will also be asked to agree proposals to commence the legal process for introducing limited parking controls in Sighthill Industrial Estate to help manage parking demand there, as well as restrictions on the availability of permits for new or redeveloped properties.

The report details an approach to consultation for future phases in light of COVID restrictions, with virtual drop-in sessions, detailed plans online and opportunities to feed back on proposals via websites, interactive plans and questionnaires.

Consultation on phase two of the Strategic Parking Review is expected to begin in February.

Read the full report, Strategic Review of Parking – Results of Phase 1 Consultation and General Update, on the Council website.

You can watch Transport and Environment Committee live via webcast from 10am on Thursday (28 January 2021).