LOCALS have been capturing bouts of pavement parking in Edinburgh, despite the ban that came into force last year, and has since resulted in over 5,000 fines being handed out.
Yesterday, buses carrying football supporters were seen parked on the segregated cycle path in Roseburn, completely blocking the way for bike users.
Nearby, the junction at Roseburn Place has seen many cars parking on the pavement, as reported by concerned locals.
Again, on Wednesday, a large white van was pictured parked on the pavement on Dundee Street, prompting locals to question whether the threat of fines is working to deter pavement parking in the city.
Earlier this month, figures revealed that in the first year of the pavement parking van, over 5,100 fines were handed out.
Edinburgh was the first city in Scotland to ban the act of parking on the pavement, with fines ranging from £50 – £100.
This comes after many residents complained of walking and wheeling being impeded, with some forced onto the roads to continue their journeys.
Campaigners for safe pavements, Living Streets Edinburgh, have pointed out that though Edinburgh’s roads are littered with potholes, so are its pavements – often caused by cars parking on them.
They asked locals to send in the worst “pavement potholes” and received responses from people who had seen an ankle-breaking deep hole on Torwood Crescent and a “slowly deepening” rift by Leamington Lift Bridge.
Yesterday, a local posted an image of a white van parked on an Edinburgh pavement, saying: “I’m fairly sure there’s a pavement somewhere under that van.
“Supposedly there’s a pavement parking ban in Scotland. Dundee Street, Edinburgh.”
A few hours later, a user in the Save the Roseburn Path community group posted pictures of two coaches parked on the cycle path.
They said: “When is a purpose-built segregated cycle path not a purpose-built segregated cycle path?
“When it’s used to park supporters’ buses during the Hearts v St. Mirren game (allegedly on the instruction of the police – according to the bus drivers who weren’t happy at photographs being taken).
“Reported on Police 101, to be told this would be passed on to local officers, I wonder if I’ll hear any more.”
Locals were dismayed at the priority given to motor vehicles rather than cyclists, who use a more sustainable form of transport.
One user said: “This is wild but so unsurprising”
Another commented: “This is utterly unacceptable.”
And a third replied: “it was only ever a matter of time before this returned here, nice to see the priority given to the large vehicle over the safety of any user, polis (sic) or no, that is p**h.”
