Motorists could soon be heavily discouraged from bringing private cars into the centre of a major UK city in a ban on public car parks.
Edinburgh City Council has proposed measures to ban private car parking in the city centre. (Image: Getty)
A major UK city is planning to introduce a new law that will make motorists think twice about entering the centre. This is part of the SNP‘s hopes to cut car travel by 20 percent by 2030.
Edinburgh City Council has proposed the idea of banning all private car parks within the low emission zone (LEZ) by 2030, meaning drivers will not be able to take a car into the city centre.
Councillor James Dalgleish shared his support for the idea, and hoped that other councillors will back the City Plan 2030 project as well.
He explained: “I’m delighted that [the] Committee has agreed our bold and ambitious City Plan 2030.
“It will allow us to guide sustainable development across Edinburgh after being considered by all councillors in a couple of weeks.
Edinburgh city centre already has a low emission zone (LEZ) in a bid to discourage older vehicles. (Image: Getty)
Whilst many city centres now feature a low or ultra-low emission zone (LEZ/ULEZ), Edinburgh City Council’s proposal to ban private parking within the area, known as City Plan 2030, is unique.
Instead, residents will be encouraged to take more sustainable forms of transport into the city centre, such as walking, cycling or buses, or alternative uses of mobility services, such as carpooling.
While the planning committee has already passed City Plan 2030, more work will be needed to convince all councillors before it is proposed on November 7, 2024.
Some councillors have warned that the public transport system is not enough to support the move. (Image: Getty)
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Express, Sue Webber MSP, Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet Secretary for Transport, warned that the proposed measures do not take into account how many residents depend on their cars for commuting.
She added: “It appears Labour-led Edinburgh City Council are shamefully following the SNP Government’s lead in waging war on the motorist. These strict measures that have been proposed fail to understand the reality for many living in the city who are reliant on using their cars for work and other appointments.
“Socialist politicians are determined to get those in the capital out of their cars but are failing to deliver a reliable and affordable public transport service as an alternative to do so.”
In response, Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Stephen Jenkinson has highlighted that the move is necessary to reduce emissions.
He continued: “We’ll make no apologies for working towards a cleaner, greener, and healthier city for everyone. We have a collective responsibility to respond to the climate and nature emergencies.
“Multiple studies show that even low levels of pollution can have an impact on our health. Road traffic is the main source of harmful emissions that are damaging and contributing to climate change, so we have a real duty to tackle this.”
