Dangerous parking

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Dec 2006, 16:59

You may recall that we discussed the problem of cars parking on the pavement at the top of Regent Street back in March 2005 on the The New Gallery thread.

Since then, I have written to Stuart Smith at City Development and copied in Lawrence Marshall and our local Police Inspector. I still await a response to my latest email, sent on 28 October of this year:

Stuart

You will recall that I flagged up this problem back in June last year. As the streetscape improvements on Portobello High Street are now almost complete, could you please consider erecting a few bollards on this corner to prevent the continuing problem of cars illegally mounting the kerb to park?

Regards

Bob Jefferson

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Jefferson
To: stuart.smith@edinburgh.gov.uk
Cc: Norman Ward ; John M Stewart ; Lawrence Marshall
Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2005 9:30 AM
Subject: parking at corner Regent St/High St

Stuart

Hope you got the message I left on Friday. I, and other local residents, have been concerned for some time about the parking outside Artisan Gifts, on the corner of Regent St and Portobello High Street. Drivers, sometimes as many as three at a time, are mounting the kerb to park on a small piece of tarmac which I believe belongs to the shop in question.

Clearly this poses a danger to pedestrians, particularly when these drivers are reversing back over the pavement, and frankly it's a tragedy waiting to happen.

My understanding is that parking attendants are unable to ticket such vehicles as it is privately-owned ground. I'm quite sure that mounting the kerb must constitute an offence but it would have to be witnessed by a police officer.

The obvious solution would be to physically prevent vehicles from mounting the kerb by installing bollards. Could this please be considered as part of the ongoing streetscape improvements in Portobello?

Regards

Bob Jefferson

As the photo below, taken yesterday, amply demonstrates, the problem has not gone away, nor is it likely to. As with the automatic toilet on the Promenade, perhaps if I bombard the Council with digital photographs I might get some action?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 24 Dec 2006, 19:00

Bob I suspect the council won't be able to do anything about this as the pavement in question is privately owned by the folk that own the gallery.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Dec 2006, 19:05

You're right. But mounting the kerb is an offence and reversing back over it is inherently dangerous. I doubt that even the owners have a God-given right to park there and I think the Council would be within their rights to place bollards to protect the pavement and the people who use it.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 28 Dec 2006, 11:23

Doesn't seem that much of a problem to me. There's plenty of space still for pedestrians and so long as care is taken when reversing surely no one should come to harm ? If the shop owners own the space then they are just doing what lots of other Portobello residents are doing everyday - crossing the pavement to get to their parking space. In fact, perhaps they should be lobbying the council to install a lowered kerb?

The only gripe I have is that it can hinder you while looking at the window displays.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 28 Dec 2006, 15:38

Marya wrote: The only gripe I have is that it can hinder you while looking at the window displays.

Yeah but its their windows. I can't imagine that its helpful for business but its their choice to park.

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 28 Dec 2006, 16:23

Whilst I can agree parking here isn't right, bollards are not the best way forward either.