Glasgow may be first to get car parking tax

Feasibility study into SNP’s hated workplace levy

WORKERS in Glasgow could become the first in Scotland to be hit with the unpopular car parking tax after council chiefs launched a ‘feasibility’ study.

The £75,000 review will examine the ‘pros and cons’ of a workplace parking levy in the city.

The study would analyse the case for ‘developing and implementing’ the tax, which would see employers charged for every parking space they provide.

According to a report submitted to Glasgow City Council (GCC), the paper will look at other cities around the UK which have implemented a workplace parking levy.

Last year, the Scottish Government followed in the footsteps of Nottingham City Council and passed the Transport Bill at Holyrood.

The legislation gives local authorities the power to introduce the levy, with councils in Glasgow and Edinburgh the first to consider such action.

Companies with 11 or more spaces could be forced to pay the charge – likely to be set at around £415 per parking space per year – with the option to pass the cost on to staff. In a report to GCC by Anna Richardson, convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, the proposal for the study read: ‘To inform Glasgow’s Transport Strategy, this funding will be used to investigate options for developing and implementing a Workplace Parking Levy. This is only one of a series of measures that will be considered to improve air quality and create a healthier environment and reduce congestion.’

Along with the potential study, an expansion of the Nextbike scheme to include a number of new stations throughout the city will cost £155,000.

Further plans to replace eight of the city’s nine Car Club vehicles with zero emission cars are expected to cost £220,000, according to the report.

Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘It’s no surprise to see an SNP council bowing to its masters in government and trying to get this hated scheme up and running.

‘But the money for the study is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.

‘It has already been well established that this policy will create problems. It will only hit hardworking people in the pocket.’

The funding for the study could come from a public transport provision grant from the Government, which has allocated £1.15million for Glasgow projects.

The proposal will be considered by the city administration committee tomorrow.

Last year, Nicola Sturgeon declared a ‘climate emergency’ amid moves to make Scotland a net-zero emissions country.

As well as a workplace parking levy and low emission zones in major cities, the First Minister wants to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2032.

A spokesman for GCC said: ‘A feasibility study will ensure that any future decision this council makes in relation to the workplace parking levy will have a strong evidence base to draw upon.’