Transport Bill could endanger public and ‘plunder pockets’

The Scottish Police Federation claims the decision not to exempt emergency services from the so-called car park tax could endanger public safety.

MSPs voted to pass the Transport (Scotland) Bill yesterday by 56 to 29, with 18 abstentions.

The Bill will write into law requirements for low emission zones in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen as well as introduce a workplace parking levy – allowing councils to charge workplaces for employees’ parking spaces.

Parking on pavements has also been banned.

The measures, the Scottish Government claims, are to lessen the impacts of emissions from cars.

However, critics, including the Scottish Police Federation and the Scottish Conservatives, claim it is an unfair tax on working people.

Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation said: “If the Scottish Government genuinely believes the service can sustain further cuts to its budget to shore up local authority funds it should simply have had the courage to impose a direct cut on the already deficient budget.

“But the truth is the government knows full well that rather than having money to burn, the police service is in dire need of a cash injection.

“It is telling that no minister is prepared to directly answer the question if they consider the police service should be diverting funds from fighting crime to pay for potholes and bin collections.

“This tin-eared response to the levy will leave the police service in an even weaker position than it is now and communities will be less safe as a direct consequence.”

Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP and Shadow Minister for Local Government Alexander Stewart said: “I am bitterly disappointed the SNP has agreed to back the workplace parking levy proposals as part of their back-door budget deal with the Scottish Greens.

“This bill will hit many of the poorer and lower-paid workers from right across Perth and Kinross.

“It will give local authorities across Scotland the power to charge businesses an annual fee for every parking space they provide for workers and this new law would give all Scottish councils the power to impose the levy.”

Scottish Greens transport spokesperson John Finnie hit out at the Lib Dems, saying: “In voting against the Bill, they rejected low emission zones in our cities, rejected giving our local authorities more powers and abilities to raise funds and rejected improvements to our bus services.

“That is because the party is prioritising winning Tory votes over localism and the climate emergency.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Mike Rumbles said: “The SNP have passed up opportunity after opportunity to build a truly radical and forward looking bill.

“The Bill was supposed to profoundly reshape Scotland’s transport system. Instead, it will be overshadowed by an SNP-Green attempt to plunder drivers’ pockets.

“There are things to welcome here, such as measures to allow local authorities to establish their own bus companies and low emissions zones and to tackle pavement parking.

“So it’s a shame parliament was forced into voting on a bad law, designed to facilitate the government’s budget deal with the Greens. That was a step too far for the Liberal Democrats.”

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The measures included in the Transport Bill will lead to improved journeys for the travelling public, building on the work that is already under way to reduce emissions to help us meet our world-leading climate change targets.

“Low emission zones provisions will improve air quality, with Scotland’s four largest cities already committed to their introduction.

“Local authorities are also being given a new tool to address the climate emergency with the discretionary powers for a workplace parking levy.”