PORTOBELLO AND JOPPA
RESIDENTS & BUSINESSES AGAINST CPZ
About Us
We are Portobello and Joppa Residents & Businesses Against CPZ, a grassroots group of local people and traders standing together to oppose the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) proposed by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Over 1,650 residents have already signed our petition, and more than 50 local businesses, members of the Portobello Traders Association, have joined our campaign. We believe the CPZ is unfair, unnecessary, and harmful to our community.
Our goals are simple:
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Protect local residents and businesses from unnecessary costs and restrictions
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Ensure fair, transparent, and inclusive consultation
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Demand better, evidence-based solutions that actually address parking issues
Together, we are working to make sure local voices are heard and our community is respected.
Our Campaign
Residents and business owners in Portobello and Joppa have mounted a strong and coordinated campaign against the City of Edinburgh Council’s proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). What began with widespread opposition during the Council’s 2021 informal consultation has since developed into sustained engagement with Council officials and members of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) Sub-Committee.
Campaigners participated actively in the statutory consultation, which closed in May 2025, and was part of a formal legal process managed by the City of Edinburgh Council. This consultation sought feedback on the proposed CPZ, which includes resident permits and pay-and-display machines for visitors.
Following the closing of the consultation, the campaigners issued a detailed correspondence opposing the scheme to the Council’s Chief Executive, Council Leader, and TRO Sub-Committee members. Despite reassurances, no response has been received to their letter, prompting further action to ensure local voices are heard ahead of the TRO Sub-Committee’s December 2025 meeting - a key moment when the collected objections are being presented to a TRO Sub-Committee for consideration before a final decision is made on the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).
Momentum has grown in recent months, with opponents arguing that the CPZ is “procedurally flawed, substantively unsound, and potentially unlawful.”
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Consultation concerns: The 2021 informal consultation showed a clear majority opposed the CPZ, yet the Council pressed ahead. Campaigners also note that Joppa residents were excluded from consultation despite being included in the scheme.
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Public meeting at Portobello Town Hall: In May 2025, more than 500 residents and traders voiced opposition directly to the Council’s Transport Convener. Campaigners highlight the absence of formal minutes as a failure of transparency.
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Survey criticisms: A new traffic survey carried out in June 2025 is disputed as unrepresentative, having coincided with major roadworks and peak tourist season.
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Alternative measures: Opponents point to recent citywide parking enforcement and targeted double-yellow lines as effective, proportionate alternatives that address concerns without imposing a CPZ.
Local traders have been among the most vocal critics, warning the CPZ would reduce footfall, disrupt deliveries, and threaten the independent businesses central to Portobello’s High Street. Residents argue the plan disregards community views, risks economic harm, and fails to meet legal standards of fairness and reasonableness.
The group has issued the Council with a legal warning and signalled their readiness to pursue judicial review if concerns are ignored. Their demands include halting the current proposal, rejecting flawed consultation and survey data, and restarting the process through a fair and legally compliant consultation that includes all affected areas.
