Statement of Petition

We, the undersigned, call on East Lothian Council to pause the implementation of proposed town centre parking charges until a holistic, rigorous, and publicly accessible overarching impact review has been completed and its findings meaningfully consulted upon at local level.

While individual reports and consultations have been undertaken for specific locations, there is currently no single, comprehensive impact assessment that examines the cumulative social, economic, equality, accessibility, environmental, and democratic impacts of the parking charge plans across all affected town centres.

Parking policy has significant consequences for:
• local businesses and town centre vitality
• disabled people, carers, and those with protected characteristics
• low-income households and those reliant on private transport due to limited public alternatives
• civic trust, transparency, and confidence in local decision-making

Introducing charges prior to publishing and consulting on a robust overarching impact review risks undermining public confidence and excluding communities from informed participation in decisions that directly affect their daily lives.

What We Are Asking East Lothian Council To Do

We therefore petition East Lothian Council to:
1. Pause implementation of all town centre parking charge plans
2. Publish a holistic, council-wide impact assessment that:
• brings together economic, equality, accessibility, environmental, and social impacts
• clearly explains assumptions, evidence, and anticipated outcomes
3. Undertake local consultation on the findings of this assessment in each affected town
4. Demonstrate how consultation feedback has informed final decisions before any implementation proceed

Why This Matters

Local democracy depends on decisions being evidence-led, transparent, and participatory. A pause to allow for a rigorous impact review and genuine consultation is not obstructionist; it is responsible governance.
This petition is submitted in the spirit of constructive engagement and in the interest of fair, inclusive, and accountable decision-making for East Lothian’s communities.