A ban on pavement parking was introduced across the country in December – but councils across Tayside and Fife are yet to enforce the new rules.
It comes after local authorities were handed fresh powers under the Scottish Government’s Transport (Scotland) Act.
Parking attendants can now dish out fines to drivers whose vehicles are found to have one or more wheels touching the pavement.
The ban appears to have the support of Courier readers, with a survey showing the majority (52%) were in favour of it being introduced.
But drivers will need to make sure they know the rules in each council area – with enforcement plans differing across Tayside and Fife.
This is how councils in Courier Country are approaching the ban.
Dundee
The ban will be enforced in Dundee on February 26 and will apply to drivers who park on pavements, double park or block dropped kerbs.
It comes after it emerged that the council has not issued a single ticket since rules changed in December.
The fine is £100 reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days of issue.
A Dundee City Council spokesperson added: “The council has identified a small number of pavements in Dundee where an exemption to these new rules may be appropriate.
“Before these exemptions are formally approved, the council must undertake a public consultation process and this will start shortly.
“If, following consultation, the exemptions are approved by councillors, the exempted section of pavement will be identifiable by new signage.”
Fife
A “soft approach” is likely to be taken in the kingdom when the ban is enforced later this year.
Fife Council service manager Susan Keenlyside said the local authority is consulting on the legislation.
She said: “The ban will not be enforced until this is completed and should approval be given it is likely that an initial soft, sensitive approach to enforcement of the legislation will be taken given the level of parking demand in many areas.”
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross Council says it is assessing relevant streets to consider if any should be exempt from the ban.
A spokesperson said: “It is proposed to enforce the Pavement Parking Ban within the Perth and Kinross area.
“We are working with consultants to assess all the relevant streets throughout the area.
“We are currently considering which streets should be considered exempt from the ban; these streets are being assessed and in some cases a site visit will be required. Given the size of our network and the number of residential streets within Perth and Kinross this will take some time to complete.
“We will not be taking enforcement action in relation to the pavement parking ban until well into 2024.
“Further updates on this will be announced at the appropriate time when the assessment works are complete.”
Angus
Angus Council has already settled on 10 streets that will be exempt from the rules.
But the authority says there are still “processes we require to go through” before starting enforcement.
A spokesperson added: “This includes preparing the appropriate exemption and variation orders and carrying out public consultation on these, carrying out staff training, and raising public awareness about how pavement parking prohibitions will be enforced locally.
“Implementation will be in the early part of this year, with a period of education rather than enforcement in advance of clear communication over when penalty notices will start to be handed out.
Graeme Dailly, Angus Council’s director of infrastructure and environment, previously said there was an intention to carry out a “soft or sensitive start”.
This means advisory notes – or similar methods – would be handed out instead of fines.
Stirling
The ban on pavement parking in Stirling is set to be enforced in the “early months” of this year.
Stirling Council says it is in the “final stages” of deciding road exemptions.
The new legislation does allow councils to exclude some streets from enforcement – as long as certain conditions are met.
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “Stirling Council is preparing for the implementation of the legislation in the early months of 2024 with road exemption assessments in their final stages.
“Although this is a statutory duty, the Council has discretion over how this is exercised.
“We are committed to ensuring pavements and roads are safer and more accessible to all.”
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