Anger as Edinburgh lets rich and famous escape parking tickets

CAMPAIGNERS have criticised an "exclusive" city centre parking deal and demanded that "white-van drivers and Rolls-Royce owners" should be treated equally when it comes to parking tickets.

Edinburgh City Council – responsible for collecting more than 6 million a year from parking fines – admits to have taken a "pragmatic" approach to issuing tickets to five-star hotel guests.

The council is now working with the upmarket Balmoral Hotel after visitors complained about being issued with 60 fines while dropping off their bags.

Motoring groups say loading and unloading on single and double yellow lines is not illegal – but the new "tolerant approach" should not just be limited to five-star hotel guests.

Edmund King, president of the AA said: "We would like to see a more pragmatic approach to parking across the whole of Edinburgh and not just for one hotel. Whether it is a white van driver making a delivery or a Rolls-Royce outside a hotel, I don't think there should be any difference in the way parking regulations are enforced."

Parking campaigner and author Barrie Segal, founder of the website AppealNow confirmed it was legal to drop off passengers or luggage on a single or double yellow line – providing no loading restrictions were in place.

"The public are often misled by local authorities about this. If you are taking your luggage into a hotel, you are allowed to stop on a single or double yellow line provided there are no loading restrictions."

Neil Greig, head of policy and research for the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: "Edinburgh has a reputation for really strict parking enforcement and a very enthusiastic targeting of drivers for the least thing.

"This is a very well known hotel and a very iconic location and we don't want to stop people coming to Princes Street. It should be a positive story – but anything to do with parking in Edinburgh is controversial."

Ivan Artolli, general manager of the Balmoral, said the trouble began after a "no-loading" sign was posted outside the hotel making it impossible for guests to park and leading to a flurry of tickets. He said the restriction had been removed after protests from the hotel and guests, and he hoped the council would now create a dedicated pick-up and drop-off space.

Head concierge Joseph Winders said: "When it comes to drop-offs and pick-ups, taxis and private cars carrying guests have no choice but to stop temporarily outside the front entrance.

"We have a good and long- running relationship with the city's traffic wardens."

A spokesman for the council said: "The parking restrictions in front of the Balmoral Hotel remain enforceable. However, we have agreed to take a pragmatic approach to enforcement and work with the hotel concierges in an effort to better manage the area and facilitate the arrival and departure of hotel guests."

Figures issued by the Drivers Alliance and the Tax Payers Alliance in 2009 showed Edinburgh issued the highest level of parking fines in Scotland, collecting a total of 6,911,725.