Blue badge and accessible parking

Open Day information for visitors who hold a Blue Badge or require accessible parking due to a health condition.

Print your permit to park on campus

To park on our campuses in the spaces mentioned on this page, you must print out an event parking permit and display this in your vehicle on the day. 

We will send a permit by email to those who have indicated that they will need accessible parking. You will receive this at least three days before the event.

Travel disruption on 25 October

A large march is taking place through the centre of Edinburgh and near our Central campus area between 11am - 12.30pm, which may cause some disruption to travel.

Roads will be closed to vehicles between 10am - 11.30am outside the Parliament on Horse Wynd and Queen’s Drive, then 10.30am - 2pm on Canongate, New Street, High Street, Bank Street, North Bank Street, George IV Bridge, Forrest Road, Potterrow (northbound), Teviot Place and Lauriston Place as far as Edinburgh Futures Institute. Those in bold are adjacent to Bristo Square and Edinburgh Futures Institute at our Central campus, and our Edinburgh College of Art campus.

The entrance to our accessible parking area in George Square at our Central campus is outside of these road closures.

If you are walking between Bristo Square/George Square venues and Edinburgh Futures Institute, Edinburgh College of Art or New College for Open Day activities between around 11.30am – 12.30pm, please factor in additional time to cross the march with the assistance of event stewards.

It will also take longer to drive between these venues via alternative routes between 10.30am - 2pm, so please factor in extra travel time.

View a map of the road closures

Central campus parking

We will close the roads at George Square on our Central campus and suspend public parking there. This is in the interests of visitor safety and to ensure that we can provide accessible parking spaces to those who need it.

However, we have arranged with the council for access to this area to be granted to those who we have provided with an event parking permit.

To enter the George Square road closure area, show your permit to the road steward at Crichton Street, EH8 9LE.

Google map pin for Crichton Street

There will be ample parking spaces within the George Square road closure and this is closed to other vehicles on the day, so a space will be available for you there. There will be no charge for parking in this area with our event permit.

There are also a limited number of dedicated disabled parking spaces at this campus, which you can view on our accessibility map.

If you have a Blue Badge, it is also possible to park in any pay and display bay free of charge or on any single or double yellow line when loading is allowed, as long as the vehicle is not causing an obstruction. 

Buccleuch Place will be in constant use for our shuttle bus service, so it will not be possible to use the majority of parking bays there.

Edinburgh Futures Institute: no parking available

There is no University parking available at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, but it is a short distance via level access from the George Square parking area. 

There is alternatively a public road behind the building (Simpson Loan) where it may be possible to park with a Blue Badge.

Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) parking

There is a disabled parking bay:

  • at the ECA Lauriston Campus (EH3 9DE) outside the Main Building (access via the entrance from Lady Lawson Street)
  • in the car park in front of the Hunter Building on Lauriston Place

We cannot guarantee parking at this campus as the number of available spaces is very low due to building works.

If you are unable to find parking or would prefer to park at our Central campus in the George Square road closure area, we can book you a taxi on our account to and from the ECA campus if required instead of the 10 to 15 minute walk. 

If you would like us to book a taxi for you, speak to a staff member based at one of our Open Day Helpdesks, and they will arrange this.

On 25 October there will be some road closures in place near our Central and ECA campuses between 10.30am and 2pm for a large march. It will take longer to drive between these venues using an alternative route, so please factor in extra travel time when planning your day.

King’s Buildings campus parking

If our event permit is displayed in your vehicle, we have arranged with the University parking team for you to be able to use any of our private University car parking at our King’s Buildings campus. 

We have marked the relevant car parks and disabled parking bays at this campus on our accessibility map.

Alternatively, you are welcome to park within the George Square road closure (Central campus) and travel to King’s Buildings using either our shuttle bus if suitable, or a taxi which we can book for you on our account.

New College parking

Theology and Religious Studies activities are based at New College (EH1 2LX). As this is right in the city centre on The Mound, it is unlikely that parking will be available here. 

Therefore, we would suggest that you park at our Central campus, and we can book you a taxi on our account to and from New College if required. It is approximately 15 to 20 minutes’ walk from the Central campus. 

If you would like us to book a taxi for you, speak to a staff member based at one of our Open Day Helpdesks, and they will arrange this.

On 25 October there will be road closures in place between our Central and New College campuses between 10.30am and 2pm for a large march. It will take longer to drive between these venues using an alternative route, so please factor in extra travel time when planning your day.

Pollock Halls parking

There are disabled parking bays at Pollock Halls which Blue Badge holders are welcome to use, but we cannot guarantee that these will be available.

Blue Badge holders could alternatively park on the yellow lines on Holyrood Park Road near the Pollock Halls entrance.

If you are unable to find suitable parking or would prefer to park at our Central campus or King’s Buildings campus, we can book you a taxi on our account to and from Pollock Halls if required. 

If you would like us to book a taxi for you, speak to a staff member based at one of our Open Day Helpdesks, and they will arrange this.

Parking in Edinburgh

You can find more information about parking bays in Edinburgh on the City of Edinburgh Council website.

Edinburgh parking bay locations 

If you have any problems finding parking on the day, ask a member of staff who will be able to help.

Low Emission Zone

A Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is enforced in central Edinburgh. This covers much of the University’s Central campus area, including: 

  • George Square and Bristo Square
  • Chambers Street
  • Edinburgh Futures Institute
  • Old College
  • New College
  • Edinburgh College of Art

Driving a non-compliant vehicle into the LEZ will result in a penalty charge notice.

Information about Edinburgh’s LEZ

Disability and Learning Support Service information desk

You will be able to speak with staff from our Disability and Learning Support Service at their information desk, located in McEwan Hall from 10am to 4pm.

Their role is to provide support to prospective and current students who are considering studying at the University of Edinburgh who have a disability, learning difference, neurodivergent or health condition that may impact on their studies. 

They will be very happy to speak with you on the day about your specific support needs in relation to studying at the University of Edinburgh. You can also get in touch with them outside of the Open Day.

Disability and Learning Support Service website

Contact us

If you have any questions, get in touch by emailing us.

Email ug.recruitment@ed.ac.uk

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