A public survey and business survey has been set up before the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement is introduced
Decriminalised Parking Enforcement or DPE for short.
In language the public understands, it means getting a parking ticket or a “PCN” – Penalty Charge Notice – from a traffic warden for illegally parking or over-staying the welcome stated on your parking ticket.
By the middle of 2027, this will be a reality in Linlithgow, already the case in 22 (out of 32) other Local Authority areas in Scotland.
Currently there is no DPE in place in West Lothian and it is the role of the Police to issue tickets for parking offences. However, there is a consultation taking place with a view to introducing Decriminalised Parking Enforcement that will allow the Council to employ the services of traffic wardens.
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Parking Strategy
The latest West Lothian Council Parking Strategy is currently in development with ongoing discussions about balancing the needs of residents, commuters, and visitors. The focus is on managing on-street parking, potentially with a mix of resident permits, time-limited parking, and all-day parking. The Decriminalised Parking Enforcement also needs to be self-sustaining to cover overheads, mainly traffic wardens, with surpluses used to help maintain roads.
The report indicates there is a formal consultation until September 2025. The latest report update can be found at
https://coins.westlothian.gov.uk/coins/submissiondocuments.asp?submissionid=60273
In the Local Place Plan (2024 to 2034), the report highlights a community survey on a wide variety of topics. It included High Street parking and was available online until the end of December 2022. Articles in the Black Bitch described the process and information on the availability of the questionnaire. 137 detailed responses were received.
Therefore One Linlithgow would like to more responses from the public and local businesses about the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement for Linlithgow. Surveys have been launched to generate more public responses and provide a comprehensive voice of businesses.
Have your say about DPE
Complete a survey to have your say now, before the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement is introduced. Once completed, all results and comments will be circulated to the final decision makers before it is implemented.
The public survey can be accessed from Surveymonkey.com/r/LinlithgowPublic
The business survey can be accessed from Surveymonkey.com/r/LinlithgowBusiness
One Linlithgow’s view on Decriminalised Parking Enforcement
As a voice for local businesses, One Linlithgow’s position about DPE is clear. Its introduction is inevitable based on the direction of travel, so businesses and the public must deal with it.
However, implementation needs very careful consideration based on evidence elsewhere around practicality, convenience and flexibility. This will facilitate vehicle ‘turnover’ during business hours.
Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) 2027 article by One Linlithgow published in the Black Bitch Community Magazine, Edition 115, July 2025.
