A capital resident has hit out at Edinburgh City Council after one of their work vans was snapped blocking a public pavement in the south east of the city.
Philip Gofford, from Gracemount, says that he passed the van twice in just over an hour on Balmwell Terrace. The pictures show a maintenance van, which has the council logo on the side of it, blocking the pathway of the street.
The angry resident said that the local authority must start ensuring that they follow the rules that they set out for others in the capital. The incident is understood to have taken place on Monday October 17 at around midday.
READ MORE: Edinburgh resident and local politician condemn businesses for pavement parking
Philip had read about councillors condemning businesses and drivers for pavement parking in the news and complained of the double standards shown by the administration. He added that the rule must apply to everyone if it is to be enforced.
He said: “I took the pictures at around noon on Monday 17. The van was there for over an hour.
“I called the council to complain about it but was told it would be a lot of work to find out who was driving. If we are going to have no pavement parking then it needs to be no pavement parking, as simple as that.
“Edinburgh council as an organisation need to stop acting as if they are above following the regulations they expect others to comply with. Councillors seem to have forgotten about all the existing businesses and residents that need vehicular access.
“If councillors are going to complain about others then they should first get their own house in order and lead by example.”
The transport and environment convener, Scott Arthur, said that pavement parking is an ‘anti-social’ act. He has argued for some time that the local authority must be given greater powers to clamp down on the problem.
Pavement parking can make navigating streets extremely difficult for those living with mobility issues or disabilities. It can also be problematic for people using push chairs as it can force them onto the road in order to pass vehicles.
He said: “Pavement parking is an anti-social activity which leads to damage to footpaths and makes it harder for pedestrians to get about our city. It causes particular problems for people with disabilities and parents with buggies.
“I want Edinburgh to become a city where pavement parking is socially unacceptable, and all of us living and working here have a duty to help make that happen.”
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