Anger over further delay to ban on pavement parking
Campaigners have accused ministers of a "complete lack of commitment" over the introduction of Scotland’s long-awaited pavement parking ban after discovering it is now likely to be further delayed to 2024.
Living Streets, which lobbies for pedestrians, said it did not expect enforcement of the measure to start until five years after it was approved by MSPS.
The body said it had spotted that the appeals process would not be established until nearly the end of 2023, so councils were not expected to start penalising drivers whose vehicles blocked pavements until the start of the following year.
The revelation comes nearly a year after Transport Secretary Michael Matheson admitted the scheme would be delayed until 2023 because of the Covid pandemic.
The measure will outlaw vehicles from pavements, beside dropped kerbs used by wheelchairs and pushchairs, and double parking.
When it became law as part of the Transport (Scotland) Act in 2019 after a decade of lobbying and failed attempts by MSPS to bring in private members’ bills, it was envisaged the ban would be implemented by 2021.
David Hunter, convener of Living Streets’ Edinburgh group, told The Scotsman: “If the appeals process isn't in place until December next year – still 20 months away – it looks like councils won't be taking effective enforcement action until into 2024.
"There seems to be a complete lack of commitment from the Scottish Government to put in the measures to tackle pavement parking quickly.
"It's time ministers stepped in to demand more urgency."
Opposition politicians also called for faster progress.
Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Colin Smyth said: “As with everything this Government touches, there's plenty of promises but very little delivery.”
Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson said: “This just shows that this legislation is in the ‘too difficult’ box.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: "We’re working towards the date of 1 December 2023 and we can confirm closer to the time of implementation."