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@zoebanksgross.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 3:08 PM

The pavement is for people. Walking around this monstrosity requires going into the road. You may note that this person also parked on the double yellow lines. Is it so hard to be considerate? #pavementparking

@railfocus.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 1:23 PM

Somebody with a blue badge making it impossible for anyone with a walking aid, wheelchair or pushing a pram to use the pavement on a busy road. You'd think they'd know better. And no there is absolutely no reason for the car to be parked on the pavement. #PavementParking

Nissan Micra parked 2/3s on the pavement making it next to impossible for people with mobility issues to use and blocking access to houses.

@zoebanksgross.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 12:22 PM

I was so pleased to see the no parking zig zags get painted, but it seems that black SUV drivers are exempt from #pavementparking.

@johnmunro.bsky.social Sep 21, 2026, 7:51 AM

I don't think there are any rules here against blocking the sidewalk in this way. In the UK, people are even allowed to use the sidewalk to park their cars without any fear of being towed (see #PavementParking).

Still good to try to remove these blockages where possible!

@geomannie.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy Sep 20, 2026, 4:46 PM

Man who has been parking on pavement for 10 years finally called out. Good. #activetravel #pavementparking #waronpedestians

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/26558915.east-kilbride-mans-van-ticketed-despite-parking-ten-years/

@spokes.org.uk Sep 17, 2026, 9:20 AM

TBF
On the other hand @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social was first in Scotland to implement the #pavementparking laws despite dire predictions of disaster; so there is boldness *sometimes*

-> www.spokes.org.uk/2024/07/conv...

@edi.bike @chdot.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social

Spokes article on Scott Arthur's time on Transport Cttee..

Legacy

In terms of policies, the ban on pavement parking (and double-parking) was a highlight of Scott Arthur’s convenership. Once the Scottish Parliament put the law into effect, Edinburgh went ahead with a rapid but well thought-out and successful implementation [see ‘update’ para here], including a tough ‘no-exemptions’ approach, despite the predicted public backlash. Most Scottish councils were more fearful, and seemed to be waiting to see what happened in Edinburgh before implementing the ban in their own area. If only we could see similar speedy but effective action in other controversial Edinburgh transport policy areas!

Other positives (this is not an exhaustive list) include…

Going ahead with the ETRO Orders which look set to retain the vast bulk of the ‘Travelling Safely’ covid active travel schemes. There was, of course, backsliding at Silverknowes and a crazy continuing saga (which will plague the new Convener) in the Braid Estate, threatening the Quiet Route to the Meadows; though threats to the Comiston Road scheme were rectified. We were also very disappointed that some of the schemes scrapped by the previous Council were not reinstated – e.g. the uphill Morningside Road cycle lane and many of the shopping-street footway extensions which had replaced kerbside parking
Pushing forward a 7-7-7 bus lane trial on a major route, and resisting official and union pressure to allow private hire cars
Getting government approval to increase bus lane infringment fines from £60 to £100
Supporting officers firmly and publicly, in the face of highly vocal minority voices, on several issues, but notably on Corstorphine Connections low traffic scheme, including many visits to the area.

There are big disappointments too (and neither is this an exhaustive list) …

The Council has an incredibly tough target (and targets have been reaffirmed by the new Convener) to reduce car-km 30% by 2030. Experts agree that even to get near such a target requires strong demand management, almost certainly involving some form of charging. However, proposals for an Edinburgh workplace parking levy were dropped (although Edinburgh Labour councillors largely supported the principle of a WPL when the act was going through Parliament). A congestion charge would anyway probably be more effective, and was spoken of positively by Cllr Arthur early in his convenership, but little seems to have happened since.
At first sight, the excellent Future Streets policy, incorporating an innovative Circulation Plan and bold City Centre Transformation (see diagram) should deserve a place in the first list above. The Transformation would remove all private through-traffic from the city centre by use of multiple traffic filters and bus-gates. BUT, city centre implementation, which at one time was spoken of as hopefully in 2025 or 2026, now seems likely to be split into multiple stages, with ever-lengthening timescales. And North Bridge, which is slated to be bus/tram, taxi, cycle, walk-only in the Transformation policy, and has been closed to northbound traffic for 3 years for major refurbishment, has now been reopened to all 2-way traffic – a huge missed opportunity, rather than reopening to bus/taxi/cycle/walk-only.

Future Streets : City Centre Transformation plan

There has also been much poor cycleroute design (e.g. Leith Walk and Elm Row) largely associated with the tramline extension. To be fair, the designs largely pre-date the present council and were hard to fix by the time of construction, due to the tramline contract legalities.

@zoebanksgross.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 8:58 AM

This #pavementparking across from a school forced me into the carriageway this morning. The driver shouted to tell me that it was only for a few minutes while they dropped off their kid. Well, I also have a kid, and this endangers lots of people.