Tuesday January 6th 2026
Parking attendant
A letter to the Editor from Midlothian View reader Philip Reilly
For more than a decade, Midlothian Council has discussed parking pressures, residents’ permits, and school safety zones. During that same period, neighbouring councils have moved from debate to delivery. The difference is no longer one of resources or evidence—it is one of resolve.
Across East Lothian, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, councils accepted that parking management is unpopular but necessary. They introduced civil enforcement, residents’ schemes, and meaningful controls. Midlothian, by contrast, continues to “review,” “consult,” and “explore,” while everyday problems worsen.
Anyone living near a school can see the result. Pavements blocked. Dropped kerbs made unusable. Parents forced onto the road with buggies and children. So-called school safety zones that rely on an overstretched police force for enforcement are safety measures in name only.
This is not a policing issue – it is a governance issue. Councils have the power to enforce parking civilly. Choosing not to use it is still a choice, and it carries consequences.
What makes the delay harder to accept is the contrast in priorities. When funding appears for cycle lanes, crossings, or active travel projects, it is rightly welcomed and loudly celebrated. Yet infrastructure alone does not create safety. Without enforcement, new lanes become parking bays and crossings become obstacles.
Midlothian’s identity as a growing, commuter-heavy authority brings challenges—but not unique ones. Other councils faced the same resistance, the same complaints, the same learning curve. They acted anyway and adjusted along the way.
Twelve years is not caution. It is avoidance.
Residents deserve clarity, honesty, and a timetable—not another round of vague assurances. If Midlothian wants the benefits of modern transport planning, it must also accept the responsibility that comes with it.
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