Traffic levels still rising in only UK city with workplace parking levy
● Backbencher slams SNP plan ● Glasgow looking to extend tax
A workplace parking levy has not cut the amount of traffic in the only UK city to introduce the scheme, MSPS have been told.
It came as one S NP backbencher slammed the scheme, backed by his own party, and compared it with an income tax hike.
Glasgow Council chiefs admitted they were looking to extend the parking tax to include all non-residential parking such as shopping centres.
The Scottish Government is proposing to give councils in Scotland the powers to introduce a tax on workplace parking spaces, as a means to tackle congestion.
It costs £415 a year in Nottingham where it has been place for the past seven years.
Holy rood’ s connectivity committee took evidence on the scheme yesterday Nottingham City Council transport chief Chris Carter and Stephen Ison, Professor of Transport Policy, Loughborough University yesterday.
The controversial proposals did slow the growth in congestion in the city – but traffic has continued to rise.
Nationalist MSP John Mason asked about the impact on traffic congestion.
Prof Is on said there has been an impact, but added: “It’s obviously very difficult to disentangle what any measure will do in terms of traffic.”
He added that comparing Nottingham with other similar cities, figures suggest a reduction in the overall level of congestion since the level was introduced.
“So it hasn’t actually reduced the amount of traffic–it’ s reduced the grow th in traffic?” Mr Mason added.
Prof Is on added :“Exactly that’s right.”
The measures also came under fire from Nationalist backbencher Richard Lyle, who has previously hit out at the proposals.
“Icon tend as a motorist I pay road tax, I pay petrol duty, I pay insurance – would you not agree that the work place parking levy is an unfair tax on myself and other people,” he asked.
“You could just say to me let’s just put your income tax up by 10 pence Mr Lyle.”
Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon re duct ion,Gl asgowCi ty Council, said city chiefs are looking into the possibility of extending the scheme to cover supermarket sand out of town shopping centres. That doesn’ t mean that we’re necessarily in favour of that – it means we want to explore those options.”
Only NHS workers will exempt from the scheme which is being introduced as part of the Transport Bill.
“I pay road tax, I pay petrol duty, I pay insurance – would you not agree that the work place parking levy is an unfair tax?”