Nine city councillors have been stripped of their free city centre parking spaces while all officials and elected members, except the Lord Provost’s official cars, have been banned from parking in the quadrangle outside the City Chambers.

The council’s Finance and Resources committee approved the plans, but the quadrangle will still be available for emergency services, official civic business, wedding receptions, essential maintenance vehicles, CCTV vans and “any necessary parking to provide reasonable adjustments as part of our accessibility requirements arising from the Equality Act”.

City Chambers Photo: Martin McAdam

The council’s head of property and facilities management, Peter Watton, urged councillors to adhere to the new rules after concerns were raised that a smoking ban in the quadrangle is regularly flouted.

The additional parking spaces previously used by Cllr Claire Bridgman, Cllr Gavin Barrie, Cllr Joan Griffiths, Cllr Jason Rust, Cllr Cammy Day, Cllr Ian Perry, Cllr Lezely Marion Cameron and Cllr Iain Whyte will be used to provide more cycling storage.


Finance and Resources convener, Cllr Alasdair Rankin, said: “As a council we’re taking a whole host of steps to make better use of Edinburgh’s public spaces so that they’re more accessible and enjoyable.

“By stopping car parking access for councillors at the City Chambers, we’re demonstrating our personal leadership and commitment to promoting a more sustainable, carbon-neutral future for the city.”
The proposals were initially tabled by Green Cllr Gavin Corbett who said: “Of the 63 councillors, nine have free car-parking spaces, for reasons that are hard to understand. It’s a throwback to bygone days when being a councillor came with perks.
“I am glad that the council agreed to take the long overdue decision to scrap free parking for those nine councillors.  It sets a proper example, about the need to transform the city centre from a place for traffic to a place for people.”

David Bol is the Local Democracy Reporter covering Edinburgh. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency : funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

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