Permits to drive out commuters

CONTROVERSIAL parking permits are being brought in to tackle a shortage of spaces for residents in streets used by commuters.

City chiefs are to press ahead with proposals to introduce permits – costing up to £75 a year – to ten streets in the Morningside area.

But the original proposals announced last year have been scaled back dramatically following a negative response from residents, with 20 streets where “priority parking” was proposed dropping off the list.

Under the restrictions, only permit holders will be able to park in the selected streets between 10am and 11.30am.

Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, the city’s transport leader, said: “We’re giving people what they have asked for in the consultation. Where priority parking is desired then that’s what we’ll look to provide.

“There was a very good response from the community and there are strong feelings on both sides, but I’m sure this is going to provide the best compromise available.”

Many residents had seen the proposals as an attempt to reintroduce a “controlled parking zone” (CPZ), which was rejected in 2008.

Most of the opposition to the plans, which will now cost £30,000 to introduce, came from the area to the west of Comiston Road. Among those that campaigned against the proposals was Andrew Gray, who lives in Craiglea Drive, who branded the proposals as “CPZ-lite”.

But Craiglead Drive is now among the list of streets where plans to introduce the priority parking have been dropped.

During the consultation, held during August and September of last year, 615 people objected, while 280 indicated support.

As with other permits in the city, the cost will vary depending on engine size.

Council chiefs are working up separate proposals to introduce priority parking in 13 different areas of the city just outside the existing CPZ.

Mark Turley, director of the council’s services for communities department, said: “For the majority of residents within the South Morningside area, any form of parking control would not be welcomed. Nonetheless, there are distinct pockets of support for parking controls, although it is interesting to note that, in many streets closest to Comiston Road, there remains clear opposition.”