A canny parker has been causing no end of inconvenience and irritation at York Place in recent days.
The driver of the copper-coloured vehicle has noticed that after contractors resurfaced the road following tramworks in York Place, original street markings between the bus stop and traffic lights beside St Paul's and St George's Church were not restored.
The result – a substantial, free parking space on a major thoroughfare slap bang in the centre of Edinburgh – has infuriated many.
Boxed in bus-drivers often have to wait ages to pull away, other vehicles waiting to turn left down Broughton Street find their lane blocked. Meanwhile, parking attendants have been looking daggers at the car, but claim they are powerless to intervene. Officials within Parking similarly say nothing can be done in the immediate future.
Frustrated locals are now approaching Councillor Charles Dundas – who sits on the Transport Committee and in whose City Centre ward this issue has arisen – and will ask him to look into the problem urgently.
In the meantime, expect copycat parkers to follow the example. Or perhaps not – look again at the photo top-right and you may notice a yellow notice tucked under the windscreen wiper. Spurtle investigated: it is from Lothian and Borders Police, and urges the owner of the vehicle to contact Gayfield as soon as possible ...