THOUSANDS of city centre residents will be able to buy visitors' parking permits for the first time under a scheme being introduced by council chiefs.
The visitor permits – which allow guests to park for half the price of pay-and-display parking – are only available to people living in the recently-opened areas of the controlled parking zone.
However, council officials have today confirmed the
scheme will be in place across the Capital by the end of next year.
The roll-out is being timed to take place at the same time as the introduction of hundreds of shared-use parking places, which can take both pay-and-display and permit drivers.
The visitor permits were introduced in 2006 to make life easier for tradespeople, carers and visiting family and friends. But city centre residents complained the situation is unfair because their visitors have to pay at meters.
A visitor pass costs £1.20 for a 90-minute stay and residents are limited to 150 of them a year.
The permits may be used on their own or together to allow parking for longer periods.
City leaders today said the change would make things fairer for city centre residents.
Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's transport leader, said: "A lot of work has gone into establishing whether extending the visitor permit scheme from the controlled parking zone into the city centre is the right thing to do or if modifications are required. I am confident that this proposal, to offer visitor permits to residents in the city centre, along with shared-use bays, is the best way to move forward and ensure a level playing field across the city for parking."
Officials had explored the idea of having permits which last longer periods, up to all day.
But Dave Anderson, the council's director of city development, said this system would only appeal to a small group of users.
He said: "Within many areas of the controlled parking zone, where kerbside space is already subject to high demand, it is questionable whether the visitor permit scheme should be seen to support long-stay visitor parking."
Nearly 700 "flexible parking bays" – which can be used by visitors and residents with permits – are being created in Marchmont, The Grange and Sciennes.
Moves to extend the visitor passes follow a motion put forward by Liberton/Gilmerton Councillor Norma Hart.
The report will go to the city's transport committee next week.
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