Thousands of drivers face £100 fine over new rule quietly rolled out last year
THOUSANDS of fines have been handed to drivers within just 12 months of a controversial new rule. 8,000 fines have been handed out north of the border in Scotland as the capital city became the first city to enforce the ban, which sees drivers fined £100 for parking on pavements, at dropped-kerb crossing points and for double parking.
According to figures released by the City of Edinburgh Council, up to 26 January 2025 there were 5,153 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for footway parking, 1,612 for dropped-kerb parking and 1,629 for double parking. The £100 fine is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The council's Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, said the trend shows that the city is "headed in the right direction". He said: "Since we first introduced these changes, we've seen many residents and visitors modify their parking habits accordingly, with the problem of pavement parking disappearing in many streets across our city."
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Mike Moore, the policy and campaigns manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said that it has "made a real difference" for people with sight loss. He said: "The new rules have helped to ensure that people in the capital can get out and about safely, without the fear of being forced on to the road by inconsiderate parking."
North Lanarkshire Councillor Helen Loughran said: “Pavement parking puts pedestrians in danger, particularly wheelchair users, people with a visual impairment and families with children and buggies. If the pavement is blocked by a parked car, people may have to step into the road to walk around it which puts lives at risk.
"Dropped kerbs give access for wheelchairs and buggies to cross the road safely, so if cars park over them it creates an unnecessary hazard.” South Lanarkshire Councillor Robert Brown added: “We have a difficult balancing act here – there are areas where on-street parking is very restricted, but our priority must be to ensure people can walk safely on pavements without being forced onto roads.
“We know this can be a huge issue for people who use wheelchairs or walking aids, people with visual impairments and for parents using prams or buggies."