A new driving fine is coming into force in parts of Scotland next month that can land motorists a £100 fine.
Drivers in some areas will not be able to park their cars on the pavement or face a Penalty Notice of £100 or the removal of their vehicle. From December 11, councils in Scotland will be able to enforce the new rule, but only Highland Council has
confirmed the new rules will come into effect in its area.
Edinburgh will become the first city in Scotland to ban cars from pavement when its enforcement begins in January 2024. London is currently the only city to ban pavement parking.
The Scottish Government's legislation states that if a driver pays the fine within 14 days - beginning with the date the notice was given - they will only need to pay £50, reports the Mirror.
But those who fail to pay before the Charge Certificate is issued could also face a penalty increase as much as 50%.
There are three "key changes" in relation to parking under the new rules:
A ban on pavement parking
A ban on double-parking (more than 50cm from the edge of a carriageway)
A ban on parking at dropped kerbs installed for pedestrian or cycle usage
A grace period with warning notices will be issued for the action in early 2024, according to the Highland Council's website.
In 2021, the Scottish Government passed a law giving local authorities the power to ban pavement parking. Scotland originally announced the intention in 2019, but this was delayed due to the pandemic.
The Scottish Government says the ban sets out to tackle "inconsiderate and obstructive" parking and aims to make pavements and roads more accessible for everybody.
Parking on pavements is already punishable if it causes an obstruction and is included in the Highway Code.
If someone is caught parking on the pavement, they can be charged with “unnecessary obstruction of any part of the highway” with drivers receiving a £70 fine.
There are different rules for different parts of the country and local authorities can restrict pavement parking on individual streets, or by area, by making a traffic regulation order (TRO).
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/drivers-scotland-next-month-fined-31424175
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)