Council asking communities where pavement parking should be allowed

East Lothian Council is preparing to enforce new legislation which makes pavement parking illegal in Scotland.

But before going ahead, it is asking community councils and area partnerships if there are streets that should be exempt.

The new Scottish laws allow local authorities to make it permissible to park on pavements on streets which are either too narrow for emergency vehicles to pass safely if the practice is outlawed, or where the pavements are wide enough to allow parking and pedestrians enough room to pass.

East Lothian Council announced its plans to move forward with fines for offenders last December.

Under the Transport Act (Scotland) 2019, the Scottish Government introduced new regulations which ban parking on pavements, across lowered kerbs and double parking.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said that community groups had until the end of next month to come back with feedback about their local areas and this would then be considered by council officers.

Councillor John McMillan, cabinet spokesperson for the environment, said: “Parking on pavements, double parking and parking at lowered kerbs can create inconvenience, safety and accessibility issues.

“It can cause challenges for vulnerable road users, such as children, due to restricted visibility when trying to cross the road safely and particularly affects those with visual or physical impairments, or mobility issues such as wheelchair users or carers with prams and buggies, often forcing them to use the live carriageway to proceed past an obstruction.

“The new legislation, which applies across Scotland, means that parking on pavements, double parking and parking is now unlawful.

"We are keen to hear from communities about whether they feel any exemptions are required or whether there would be any impacts from cars being displaced as a result of not parking on a pavement.”