Owners of gas-guzzlers face paying double for parking

Published on 10/02/2009 21:08

DRIVERS of the most polluting vehicles are to be hit with higher parking charges in the capital, it was confirmed yesterday.

The cost of annual parking permits in Edinburgh for the worst gas-guzzlers will double to 320 a year under the new council scheme.

However, drivers with cleaner and more efficient cars will see the cost of parking reduced to as low as 15 a year, down from 80.

Councillors gave their final backing to the scheme yesterday after it emerged that there was strong public backing for the proposals. The council said that it hoped the creation of the sliding scale for residents parking permits would reduce harmful vehicle emissions and help to tackle climate change.

It is the first initiative of its kind in Scotland and will come into force early next year.

The Green Party councillor, Steve Burgess, who proposed the charge, hailed it a "groundbreaking green initiative".

The local authority estimates the move will see two-thirds of resident permit holders paying less for their parking and only 20 per cent paying more.