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Edinburgh Reporter
21-05-2025
- Science
- Edinburgh Reporter
Space walk is part of Walk to School Week
Local school pupils met at The Scottish Parliament for a special space-themed walk as part of Living Streets' Walk to School Week. Pupils from Royal Mile Primary School in Edinburgh dressed as astronauts for Living Streets' Walk to School Week which takes place from 19-23 May. Joined by representatives from The City of Edinburgh Council they set off on a space-themed walk to Dynamic Earth and Planetarium, enjoying discovering facts about the solar system and how walking and wheeling to school can help protect our planet. Pupils also enjoyed a visit to Dynamic Earth and Planetarium, the only science centre and planetarium in Edinburgh. During Walk to School Week, pupils across Scotland are encouraged to walk, cycle, scoot, or wheel to school each day during the week, to feel the benefits of getting active before the school day. This year's Walk to School Week theme, The Great Space Walk, has inspired thousands of children to travel actively to school each day of the week, with over 250,000 pupils already signed up for the challenge. Chris Thompson, Programme Manager, Living Streets Scotland said: 'Walk to School Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary steps pupils across Scotland are taking to make their journey to school more active, which is better for individuals, communities and the planet. 'By choosing to walk, they're showing how small actions lead to big impacts, such as easing congestion, improving air quality, and creating cleaner, healthier streets. We hope this week inspires others to walk and wheel to school and discover how easy it can be to make their daily commute truly 'out of this world'.' Mrs Black, Head Teacher at Royal Mile Primary School said: 'It is wonderful to see how much our children enjoy participating in the WOW challenge, and having their hard work acknowledged in this way is incredibly rewarding. 'We are extremely proud of our pupils for their enthusiasm to walk and wheel to school in all weathers. We've also seen a real difference in the number of cars outside the school gates, making the roads safer for pupils and the wider community.' Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council said: 'Walking, wheeling and cycling to school has such a positive impact on young people. It helps build independence, improves road awareness, and helps pupils start the day feeling energised and ready to learn. 'From ambitious active travel projects like the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and Roseburn to Union Canal along with traffic calming and road safety measures – we're committed to making people feel more comfortable walking, wheeling, and cycling, whilst creating more liveable and inclusive streets and neighbourhoods. 'Congratulations to the pupils and staff at Royal Mile Primary School for their outstanding commitment to travelling to school in safer, healthier, and more sustainable ways.' Living Streets Scotland currently delivers WOW – the walk to school challenge in more than 200 primary schools across the country. The pupil-led initiative encourages students to log their active journeys to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker. Pupils who walk, cycle, scoot, or wheel to school once a week for a month are rewarded with a special collectible badge. You can find out more about Living Streets, Walk to School Week and WOW – the walk to school challenge at Home | Living Streets. Like this: Like Related
Sunday Post
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Sunday Post
'Postcode lottery' of Scotland's pavement parking fines
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up Scottish councils have handed out more than 27,000 pavement parking fines in the first year since new powers came into force. However, analysis from The Sunday Post reveals a patchwork of enforcement across the country, with residents facing a postcode lottery over which rules are being applied. The ban on pavement parking, including double parking and blocking kerbs, was introduced to make streets more accessible for pedestrians – especially people with disabilities or parents pushing buggies and prams. Experts say the powers are making streets safer where they are being fully enforced but warn inconsistent approaches are causing confusion. Freedom of Information requests sent to every local authority area in Scotland reveal the number of fines issued between February 28, 2024, when new powers came into effect, and the same date earlier this year. A total of 27,403 pavement parking fines were handed out during this period, meaning councils raked in between £1.4 million and £2.7m depending on how quickly they were paid. Standard fines are set at £100 but can be cut in half if the recipient pays early. North Ayrshire had the highest number of any council in Scotland, racking up a staggering 8,453 in one calendar year. Edinburgh was close behind with 8,258 parking fines issued, while Dundee recorded 3,221. Aberdeen had 2,148, Angus had 1,448 and Glasgow had 874. Drivers in the Highland Council area received 864 fines, while there were a further 841 in Stirling, 776 in Midlothian and 525 in Perth & Kinross. Of Scotland's 32 council areas, only 10 were able to provide details of fines issued, with many yet to implement the new powers. A number told us they intend to introduce 'soft approaches' rather than handing out fines, while some officials appeared to be confused about what powers they have. Aberdeenshire Council told us it has 'encountered some difficulties' in setting up pavement parking notices so is not currently able to issue them. South Lanarkshire introduced the powers in January but said it is taking the 'soft approach' of handing out warning leaflets for first-time offenders. Dumfries & Galloway Council said it prefers an 'initial approach of education before enforcement' and so is also not issuing fines. Pavement parking notices came into effect in Angus and Renfrewshire after the dates specified in the Freedom of Information request. Chris Thompson, programme manager of Living Streets Scotland, said the ban on pavement parking is making streets safer and more attractive in places where it is being 'properly enforced'. He pointed to the example of Edinburgh, where he said enforcement of the ban is making a real difference to the people most affected by this 'dangerous act' and has seen drivers modify their parking habits and fewer Penalty Charge Notices issued. Thompson added: 'We urge all local authorities to implement the ban properly and ensure plans are in place for enforcement, so that everyone in Scotland can benefit from safer streets wherever they live, work or visit. 'Inconsistent approaches cause confusion, and a lack of enforcement means our streets continue to be inaccessible for wheelchair users, young families with pushchairs and people living with sight loss.' Catriona Burness, Scotland policy manager for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), said the charity had been informed by Transport Scotland that 20 councils are actively enforcing the ban. That is despite 13 councils stating outright in their Freedom of Information responses that they are not currently using the powers. Burness said: 'The success of the pavement parking ban in Scotland relies on local authorities monitoring and enforcing the ban and members of the public adhering to the law. 'We are continuing to monitor the roll-out of the pavement parking ban and to call for its enforcement.' Council bosses in Dundee sparked anger last month by refusing to reveal how many of the city's worst pavement parking offenders have paid their fines – claiming the information is 'private'. The authority previously confirmed the driver of a black Audi had been fined 13 times in just 12 months for parking on pavements on Saggar Street and North Court Street in the city. Meanwhile, the driver of a red Peugeot had been fined 12 times for parking on pavements on Hepburn Street. But the council argued that revealing whether or not those involved had actually paid the fines 'very clearly relates to an individual's private life, being their finances' and that 'the disclosure of this information could cause unjustified harm'. © Kath Flannery The Scottish Conservatives' justice spokesman, Liam Kerr, said: 'Decriminalised enforcement was meant to protect parents with buggies and people using wheelchairs or other mobility aids, across the whole of Scotland. 'But we can see from the data that many councils are struggling to find the time and resources to apply the scheme evenly, if at all. 'Decriminalisation moved responsibility from the overstretched and underfunded Police Scotland to similarly toiling local authorities. 'That's a classic SNP strategy: announce and forget, then let someone else deal with the fallout. 'Some councils don't even seem to know they have the powers for enforcement. 'Scottish Ministers need to look at this data and come up with a solution that helps councils make enforcement equitable and applicable for all.'
