HUNDREDS of residents are objecting to the idea of the city's controlled parking zone being expanded into their neighbourhood.
Campaigners have put up posters around South Morningside opposing the introduction of parking restrictions.
The city council has been carrying out an informal consultation to find out if residents of up to nine areas around the Capital want existi
ng CPZs extended to cover their streets.
But residents in South Morningside fear such a move would bring chaos to their currently quiet streets.
Douglas Gordon, who is leading the campaign, has carried out a survey of 621 houses in the area and said he found 524 were opposed to the extension.
Mr Gordon, 42, of Craiglea Drive, a software engineer, who shares a car with his partner Jayne Bennett, said he has never had any difficulties finding a parking space and would resent having to pay for a parking permit.
"We just don't feel that there is such a parking problem here," he said.
"Any problem that there may be has been imposed by the council's blind determination to impose this policy. It's making it harder for people to get into the city to work and to shop. It's basically just a tax, it's not really helping parking for anyone."
He added: "There's an environmental issue too, because it's going to encourage people with gardens to dig them up and put a driveway in, which will have a drastic effect on the history and the feel of the place."
Some residents however are behind the idea of an extension, saying there have been problems in recent months. Another resident, also of Craiglea Drive, said a CPZ extension was the only option: "The situation has got worse over the last six months.
"I think it's a good idea despite the inconvenience of not being able to park within half a mile of your own front door unless you are very lucky.
"The over-crowding results in illegal and unsafe parking, which is a danger to children and old people crossing roads.
"To assert that there is not a problem is simply misleading."
Councillor Alison Johnstone, who represents Meadows and Morningside, said: "There are no formal plans at the moment to extend the CPZ and the council is just looking for feedback in order to decide whether to bring forward more parking zones.
"There is no desire at all to impose an unwanted scheme upon the residents.
"The council will collate the responses they have and put them to the Transport, Infrastructure and Environment committee in September and at that point they will decide."
The full article contains 436 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
