The petition sponsored by Leith Central Community Council, Improving Parking in the Leith Central Area (LCA), closed on 10 May with 390 signatures. On Thursday 17 May, members of LCCC and Abbeyhill Colonies Residents Association (ACRA) were invited to the Transport and Environment Committee to speak to the petition.

Iona McLeod, ACRA chairperson and spokesperson for the LCCC Working Group on Parking, spoke about the issues around parking in the area. Charlotte Encombe, LCCC Chairperson, and Sheila Kennedy, LCCC Secretary and ACRA Treasurer, made supplementary comments. Councillor Susan Rae of the Green Party was there in a supportive role and also spoke of the effect parking pressures can have on residents in the area. You can see the full discussion, from 1:59, at https://edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/293987.

The points made were well received by the committee and it was agreed that we had met the criteria in Section 2 of the Controlled Parking and Priority Parking Protocol.

Council officers are currently working on a strategic plan on parking for the whole city with a report due in August. It was agreed that the LCA would be considered as part of this review but also as a separate entity due to its particular pressures. If Controlled Parking Zones were to be extended following this report, this would be done on a rolling basis and LCA would be one of the first. The pressures discussed were:

• The proximity of the area to the city centre and the use of the area by commuters
• The proposals to extend the tram and the extra effects this would have on parking and pollution
• The current and proposed developments in the area which put further pressures on parking.

In the very short term, a Council officer agreed to look at better enforcement, in discussion with colleagues in Parking, to deal with drivers who park on double yellow lines or who double park and cause obstructions.

The delegates left the meeting feeling very positive but will await further developments!