Drivers of the most polluting vehicles and two car households will pay more to park in the capital, under proposals to reduce the environmental impact of vehicle emissions announced today by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The council is the first local authority in Scotland to propose introducing a new charging structure for residents’ parking permits in a bid to encourage people to consider switching to more environmentally friendly vehicles.  

The proposed new banding system for residents’ permits would include introducing higher charges for permit holders with the most polluting vehicles or those with a second permit, with the council claiming that new charging structure will mean that two thirds of current permit holders will pay less for their permit. 

 In addition, in a bid to address the increased demand for permits, which the council says is outstripping the limited number of parking spaces available, the council is proposing that a 25 per cent surcharge should be placed on the second permit holder in each household.  

The proposals will be considered by the Council’s Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee next Tuesday. 

Environment Leader Robert Aldridge, said: “There is a national acceptance that more needs to be done to influence the vehicle choices that people make. If this is to happen then local authorities need to play their part and take action to bring about local change. "It is clear to me that, with ongoing CO2 monitoring identifying several key locations in the city where CO2 levels are causing concern, it is our responsibility to take measures designed to make city centre residents consider the impact that their vehicle choice has on our city. 

“While it is right that people should be free to choose the vehicle that best meets their needs, it is also reasonable that they should pay the appropriate costs of owning their vehicle, which should reflect the amount of pollution it creates. There is also increasing demand for a limited number of parking places in the city and encouraging households to consider whether they need a second vehicle along with initiatives such as the City Car Club has environmental benefits as well as helping the relieve the pressure on residents parking.”