Parking levy will also hit ministerial limousines

Scottish Government ministerial limos will be forced to pay the new workplace parking levy, it has emerged.

Transport secretary Michael Matheson has confirmed the Government will be forced to cough up for official cars in the same way as other workers under the proposal which is going through Parliament.

“The provisions do not include an exemption for ministerial cars,” Mr Matheson said in a Holyrood answers to Labour’s Jackie Baillie.

The minister also said there was no plans to reduce the level of car parking spaces in Scottish Government offices, despite a move by banking giant HSBC to cut its spaces by 90 per cent to tackle climate change.

“We welcome the action of employers, which support the sustainable travel hierarchy which promotes walking, cycling, public transport and bike, car or ride sharing in preference to single occupancy car use for movement of people,” the minister said. He said more than 500 Scottish staff had received “cycle friendly” status.

But he added: “There are no plans to reduce car parking on the core Scottish Government estate, but we keep Scottish Government car parking spaces under regular review.”

The proposed workplace parking levy is going through Holyrood as part of the Transport Bill.

The legislation will give local councils the power to introduce the levy. Employers could pass the cost onto workers to the tune of up to £400 a year.