THEIR luminous yellow bibs may not be the most appropriate dress for an undercover stake-out.
But that has not stopped the city's parking Enforcers catching out a string of unsuspecting motorists with their latest tactic.
Three attendants have been caught on camera lying in wait in an unmarked car before pouncing on illegally parked vehicles as soon as their owners walk away.
A video posted on the YouTube website shows the attendants sitting in a silver estate car on double-yellow lines outside the Traverse theatre.
One attendant is seen ticketing a vehicle for parking in a residents' bay on Cambridge Street before jogging back to the car. The last frame shows one of the attendants warning off the anonymous filmmaker and waving a finger in his face.
PARKED UP: The Enforcers lie in wait in their car
A council spokeswoman said the Enforcers are allowed to park on double yellow lanes temporarily if they are working, as long as it is not causing an obstruction.
Andrew Holmes, the director of City Development, said: "Parking attendants are entitled to use vehicles as part of their job. It would be incorrect to assume that these attendants were doing anything wrong simply based on this short video."
But drivers' groups today said the video would only fuel motorists suspicions about the tactics used by attendants.
Neil Greig, Scottish policy manager for the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said attendants should be using marked cars so there is no confusion.
He said: "I think the vast majority of drivers would expect that the attendants would be driving around in liveried vehicles.
"They have the uniforms to make it clear who they are and what they are doing.
"It is easy to see how people could get the idea that someone is lying in wait for them if they are operating from cars.
>> Press PLAY to watch video
"This all comes back to the fact there is still a lot to be done in improving the image of the parking attendant."
The footage is thought to have been shot during the last month.
Temporary parking restrictions are in place in Cambridge Streets because of the ongoing revamp at the Usher Hall.
Bruce Young, Lothian co-ordinator for the Association of British Drivers, said: "NCP were awarded the council's parking contract on the basis they would above board and fair and this doesn't appear to be either.
GOTCHA! An Enforcer spots an infringement
"If they are using cars, how do you know they are not in the car writing the tickets and not giving the appropriate grace period?
"This seems like entrapment to me and it is not on."
It emerged the council received a complaint about an attendant using an unmarked car in a separate case in Castle Street last week.
But NCP Services spokesman James Pritchard said: "This video shows our parking attendants using a vehicle to appropriately carry out their duties, something which happens regularly in Edinburgh.
"It is often necessary to use cars, mopeds or vans to transport our attendants around a large city like Edinburgh and while they are using vehicles to aid their enforcement duties they are entitled by law to park in contravention of the on-street parking regulations."
"We train our attendants very carefully in the use of their vehicles on-street, and they are entitled to park in the way depicted in this video."
NCP took over the council's parking contract last December.
Around 250,000 tickets worth £7 million are issued in the city each year.
The full article contains 578 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
