http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Free car parking in Edinburgh city centre en Thu, 21 May 2026 02:57:27 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383344 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 20:24:50 +0000 dessert rat 383344@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>is there a 3rd option? If pushed, Beamish i guess. We use to live close to Beamish museum, so have many memories of the place - but not related to the stout, which is unrelated. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383340 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:51:11 +0000 gembo 383340@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pint of Murphy’s then only? Or Beamish? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383339 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:19:44 +0000 dessert rat 383339@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>we engaged Cycle Gardeners 18th months ago - don't think I will be going for a pint with them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383338 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:16:45 +0000 gembo 383338@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This would appear to be what the ELC has surmised. No idea if they did a count?</p> <p>In other news I have established where the Cycling Gardeners are based - we could go for a pint of Beamish, though I prefer Murphy’s. And engage them for your window boxes? @Dessert-Rat </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383337 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:54:00 +0000 dessert rat 383337@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Very anecdotal etc.. but a couple of years back, prob during the lost years when there was discussion (and outrage) about possibly having a few little parklet things, I sat in a café on Stockbridge High St for 90mins on a Sat morning. I could see 17 cars from window seat, in that time only 1 moved. </p> <p>I don’t see in places like NB they can’t present similar data ie 50 affected spaces, and in the last 6 months, between hours of 0800 – 1700, Mon-Fri, typically 80% are occupied by the same car – therefore only 20% are available for shoppers etc… you’d think that sort of data would dismantle the whole “it’ll deter shoppers’ argument.<br /> Does anyone know if that sort of info is ever collected? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383334 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:02:52 +0000 gembo 383334@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For sure the consultation was merely about how much should be charged Not if there should be a charge. It wasnt a referendum so there wasnt a vote.</p> <p>The shopkeeprers of NB and indeed those who cant get into the station car park and are commuting to Edinburgh will be inconvenienced.</p> <p>THe end of days forecast for the high street is unlikely, The shopkeepers have done well to create the vibrant high street and sadly now have to pay for their good work.</p> <p>What I cannot fathom is why people try to say this is about anything other than shopkeepers paying for parking?</p> <p>Or other people leaving their cars all day In the same spot [you can just nip. Out and move your car to anther spot etc]</p> <p>Further, the entitlement which allows other wise law abiding middle class types to become vandals without any hint of irony given the way they will have mouthed off about The Wee Neds</p> <p>What a world we live in, meanwhile slightly more important things happening in the middle east </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383332 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:52:06 +0000 mcairney 383332@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>These protests are often led by local shopkeepers because it means that they can no longer park for free outside their shops! It's not because 'their customers can't park' as the majority of customers will be locals who walked to the High Street and the reason they find it hard to park is because of all the business owners parking their Range Rovers for 10hrs a day along said High Street! The Beckhams 'be honest' meme springs to mind. Parking control will promote higher turnover of parking spaces which will, in fact, mean more customers able to park in a given day.</p> <p>As a resident in another East Lothian town undergoing a similar 'parking consultation' I do have some degree of sympathy for the residents of NB in that in all 3 towns the adoption of parking charges were voted against by the public to the order of 80-85% against (and I say that as one of the small minority who would be in favour of it). What's the point in the pretence of a democratic process if you're going to ignore the results and push policy through anyway? Again I'll point East Lothian Council at the same 'be honest' meme I'm pointing the shopkeepers of North Berwick at.<br /> Councils need to be honest and state from the outset that parking charges are coming for reason X, Y and Z and the consultation is more about the 'design' e.g. what the parking zones are, grace periods, permit parking for residents etc because as has been proven in North Berwick, given the choice locals are notoriously resistent to change especially if it may mean they pay for something they're currently getting for free. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383331 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:03:04 +0000 gembo 383331@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Judging by the BBC story, [i spotted the journo touting the story to the fr others of NB] - you can still park for free for 45 mins. Then if you need to say up to 75 mins it is a pound and if 90 mins £2.</p> <p>As predicted on the Canopy 3 seater sofa that we turned into a snug four seater, The Shopkeepers of North Berwick do protest.</p> <p>I lovethe quote from a person who remained nameless for fear of being shunned - [pointing to enormous white SUV] - look at that , they’re not poor, put some money in the meter.</p> <p>\and further</p> <p>What sort of example is the vandalism of the meters to the young people? This is middle class people doing what they like because they didnt get what they want. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383327 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:29:44 +0000 the canuck 383327@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And guaranteed, they'll be the front of the campaign against apps because 'elderly people don't use phones'.<br /> I mean, I hate parking apps with a passion, but these vandals are two-faced. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383315 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:40:44 +0000 bakky 383315@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@edinburgh87 a good shout, though would have to rely entirely on GPS because as soon as you have signage with e.g location codes, the roasters will turn their attention to those. </p> <p>Shout out to the inevitably more expensive parking to recoup the hardware costs being incurred because the walking definition of entitlement have decided this is the issue over which they finally ‘become ungovernable’ </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383314 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:19:14 +0000 edinburgh87 383314@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>The cost of repairing vandalised parking meters in North Berwick has reached £38,000</blockquote></p> <p>Not sure how legal but a solution could be to dispense with physical meters and make it solely app based </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383311 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:45:24 +0000 gembo 383311@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have been following closely the hijacking of the visit North Berwick facebook page by people who dont want to pay for parking</p> <p>You would think it was Edinburgh</p> <p>More Edinburgh on Sea</p> <p>But as @jdanielp has already sung - You say you didn’t want to pay for parking / I say why dont you want to pay for parking?</p> <p>However, reducing ==the issue to this simple fact is very unacceptable</p> <p>And has led to a level of entitlement rarely seen except in Corstorphine where people feel it is OK to vandalize parking meters/cameras etc; </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-383310 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:58:16 +0000 chdot 383310@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok</p> <p>Not Ed</p> <p>“</p> <p>The cost of repairing vandalised parking meters in North Berwick has reached £38,000 before a single penny has been collected from charges </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://archive.ph/2026.02.25-144906/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25886174.new-parking-meters-north-berwick-met-unprecedented-vandalism/" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/2026.02.25-144906/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25886174.new-parking-meters-north-berwick-met-unprecedented-vandalism/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-379175 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:40:59 +0000 chdot 379175@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-parking-residents-will-no-longer-be-consulted-on-new-parking-zones-5066676" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-parking-residents-will-no-longer-be-consulted-on-new-parking-zones-5066676</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-155326 Fri, 30 May 2014 10:20:36 +0000 kaputnik 155326@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is that the electric cop car, a.k.a. Whispering Death? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-155308 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:48:00 +0000 DaveC 155308@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Illegally parked or there to deter others drivers from illegal parking? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-155273 Thu, 29 May 2014 18:56:45 +0000 chdot 155273@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/14297554072/"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/14297554072_b4a26f935d.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-155270 Thu, 29 May 2014 18:18:40 +0000 Charlethepar 155270@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cop car parked next to cafe today. No emergency, some sort of community event. Hopeless. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-155265 Thu, 29 May 2014 16:44:39 +0000 acsimpson 155265@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Perhaps this is the solution:<br /> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27619680"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/eF23XhD.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-150461 Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:22:42 +0000 neddie 150461@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>10 cars parked there today, including 2 on the grass. Makes it very difficult to get through with a buggy without getting bogged down in the mud. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-149750 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:26:23 +0000 acsimpson 149750@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yup that sounds like me. About 8.30 (or it would have been if I was on time.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-149740 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 12:49:59 +0000 Baldcyclist 149740@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson POP poster on handlebars? You may have been approaching the bridge as I was coming off it (disguised as a car). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-149739 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 12:47:14 +0000 acsimpson 149739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Even the cycle paths were quiet this morning. I passed all of 4 cyclists between Cramond and the North of the Bridge today. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-149718 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:00:14 +0000 Baldcyclist 149718@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aye, definitely very quiet...<br /> Today: 40 mins by car.<br /> Normally: 1hr - 1hr15 by car (I say 'normally', haven't driven in, in many months, maybe even more than a year!).<br /> Bike / train combo: 1hr 40mins</p> <p>Although, it will be busier on way home, but taking advantage of car and doing a Decathlon, and Hopetoun garden centre run on way home. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571&page=2#post-149717 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 10:41:48 +0000 chdot 149717@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"spend an hour less than normal getting to work"</p> <p>Presume a lot less traffic than a 'normal' day? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571#post-149715 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 10:37:25 +0000 Baldcyclist 149715@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not related to original post, but I took advantage of the 1 day a year that I can park in Edinburgh for free. Was nice to get out of bed late and spend an hour less than normal getting to work. :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571#post-149119 Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:57:16 +0000 chdot 149119@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Did we give these people written permission?"</p> <p>Yes but it <em>could</em> be a bunch of random sheep. </p> <p>If they were there in an 'organised' fashion, then at least there can be a 'don't do it again' letter. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571#post-149117 Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:47:21 +0000 gibbo 149117@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Perhaps if it was related to a cricket match (or other organised sporting event). </em></p> <p>Judging by the article, you need written permission... so, there only needs one extra step of investigation: "Did we give these people written permission?". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571#post-149116 Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:44:44 +0000 Charlethepar 149116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was running round the meadows this morning (at about 7:30) and saw some fat bloke on big motorbike chugging his way up one of the paths from Leven Terrace to Leamington Walk, pausing every now and then to take in the view. He then turned up Leamington Walk.</p> <p>Barmy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12571#post-149099 Tue, 15 Apr 2014 13:56:17 +0000 neddie 149099@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Now everyone who reads that rag will know they can park for free until a loophole is closed</em></p> <p>However if everyone starts parking there, it may mean that the loophole is closed quicker than it otherwise would've been. </p>