Portobello residents threaten legal action over Edinburgh Council's parking charges plan

Residents in Portobello are threatening court action over proposals for a controlled parking zone scheme.

Edinburgh City Council plans to introduce the zone from King’s Road to Joppa, operating from 8.30am-5.30pm seven days a week.

Residents would pay for parking permits to be able to park in or near their street and others would have to use pay and display machines.

Locals say people will be put off visiting the area if the charges go ahead.

Jane Grant owns art Gallery The Velvet Easel on the high street.

She said: “People who want to have a fairly low-cost day at the beach, you won’t be able to. You’ll have to pay for four hours and then move your car.

“I think this will certainly hit the poorest people the worst.

“Portobello is one of those areas where people don’t just come to buy a loaf of bread – they come to spend the day in Portobello.”

Michelle Mielnik opened the Rising Tide café in February.

She says business is doing well but is worried that the proposed controlled parking zone could change that.

She said: “What we are really worried about is that most of our business comes in at the weekends. We have visitors come out with Portobello. They come here because it’s easy to park.

“How are we going to run a business? How are people in Portobello going to run their businesses if it’s a seven-day charge? It just feels an unfair tax.”

The City of Edinburgh Council‘s traffic regulation order sub-committee convener, councillor Margaret Graham said: “We’ve received a letter from this group and will now take the time to consider its contents.

“The proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for Portobello is intended to ease parking pressures in the area. The Traffic Regulation Order advertising period ended in late May 2025 and all objections to the proposals will be presented to a future TRO Sub-Committee.

“Members will consider all the available evidence before coming to a decision on the scheme.”