FREE city centre parking in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons would be extended through January under plans being considered by council leaders.
The move would help traders hit by the tram works and economic slowdown, and could attract hard-up shoppers to the sales in the weeks after Christmas.
The council has already brought forward the traditional relaxation of parking rules to early Nov
ember, meaning there will be free parking from 5.30pm between Monday and Friday in on-street pay-and-display bays, as well as every Saturday from 1pm. The scheme will also run in the West End, Old Town, Tollcross and the Grassmarket.
The city has been plagued by tram-related disruption in recent months, but a roadworks embargo is to be ordered in the city centre before Christmas. Trams firm TIE is also planning to give Leith Walk its first break from roadworks for 18 months, and that scheme will cover the January sales.
Now city leader Jenny Dawe has indicated that the free parking could be extended to January. She said: "The dates have been set, but if it goes down well, and looks appropriate, we will certainly look at it." Officials are now believed to be analysing the potential impact and cost of the move.
Transport leader Phil Wheeler added: "The festive parking arrangements are something we can look at, but we have to think through the implications.
"However, we have excellent public transport links into the city centre and I recommend people consider using these, including the recently opened park-and-ride facility at Straiton."
Nigel Duncan, vice chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses Edinburgh branch, said any measures aimed at encouraging shoppers to the city centre "must be welcomed".
"The attraction of free parking in shopping outlets ringing the city is strong and recent publicity regarding jams in the city centre caused by roadworks only encourages people to stay away," he said.
"However, there must be a level playing field and what applies to Princes Street and Shandwick Place, where most of the major retailers are situated, must also apply to Leith Walk. Traders there have been suffering for a considerable length of time and, indeed, were excluded from the relaxation last Christmas."
Leith Labour councillor Gordon Munro also called for parking concessions in Leith: "Making this happen would be a small gesture of help to Leith traders. If it can be done for the city centre, it should happen for Leith."
Bruce Young, Lothian and Borders co-ordinator of the Association of British Drivers, said: "Relaxation is a step in the right direction. It's a sign of how fraught things are if they are considering this concession. It would be more for businesses, because the council knows how much damage they've done to them."
The full article contains 471 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
