Caravan is parked strife for powerless attendants

A legal loophole has allowed a caravan to be parked on Lower Gilmore Place,  Fountainbridge on a single yellow line without the owner having received a ticket. It has been there for four months.

The scenario is understood to have frustrated Edinburgh City Council parking attendants.

An unhooked caravan is not classed as a vehicle, meaning it cannot be ticketed for parking on a single yellow line during working hours.

In a written statement, council south west area roads manager Dr Andy Edwards said the owner of the caravan had sought legal advice that had backed up his position.

Dr Edwards said: “There is a gap in the law regarding caravans. As a result, if the caravan is not attached to a vehicle then the traffic wardens are unable to issue tickets.

“If there was someone residing in the caravan, then environmental wardens could take action, but this is not the case.”

He added: “We have spoken to the owner, who has taken legal advice. However, he did mention that he was hoping that the caravan will be moved in the next three weeks.”

Builder Peter Robertson, who last week told of contractors charging up to double their hourly rates for city centre jobs due to parking fines, felt the scenario was poetic justice.

He said: “I think it’s perfect.”

Green councillor Gavin Corbett, who has noticed the caravan, said: “It is ironic that a caravan can be parked on a road for months where, if it was a car, it would have been fined and towed within hours, especially when the street is where the traffic wardens’ depot is.

“But there’s a serious point, too – the caravan is causing cars to swing out onto the opposite side of the road at a corner, where bicycles are coming round headed for the canal. We need to sort this oddity out before someone gets hurt.”

City transport convener Councillor Lesley Hinds labelled the anomaly as a “grey area” and said: “The neighbourhood roads team has been monitoring this case and although the caravan’s position does not seem to be obstructing road or footway traffic, we will continue to work with the caravan’s owner to resolve this situation as soon as possible.”

The owner of the caravan could not be contacted for comment.