Fears over fees for parking at work calmed

TWO Yorkshire councils have rubbished claims they are planning to impose charges for parking at work.

Both Leeds City Council and City of York Council were named in reports that claimed a number of authorities across the country were considering using the levies in an effort to raise funds and cut congestion.

The scheme would see employers charged hundreds of pounds for the spaces they offer to their staff.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although both Leeds and York have looked at the controversial fundraising measure in the

past, both said they are not considering such a move at the moment.

Coun Steve Galloway, executive member for city strategy at York, said: "The Liberal Democrat administration have no intention of introducing workplace parking charges in York.

"These reports may be based on suggestions made by the Traffic Congestion Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee chaired by Labour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"As with congestion charging, the Liberal Democrats in York will be opposing any attempts by Labour to impose new taxes on drivers."

The Traffic Congestion Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee was wound up a few months ago when it published its final report.

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said: "There are no current proposals to introduce workplace parking charges in Leeds. However, in the light of planned Government spending cuts, the council may in the future have to look again at all potential revenue streams."

Authorities including Bristol, Devon, Hampshire, Bournemouth, South Somerset and

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wiltshire were also named in reports about the introduction of levies.

An estimated 10 million people drive to work every day and where such a scheme is introduced they could potentially face fees of hundreds of pounds a year each.

Nottingham City Council is due to be the first council to impose a levy, with all employers offering more than 11 spaces for staff charged 250 for each one. It will be up to companies whether they pass the cost on.

In London, a number of councils are said to be attending a seminar next month that has a workplace parking levy on the agenda.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Authorities in Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Oxford have all previously expressed an interest.

Hilary Holden, an analyst with planning consultancy Arup, said the Government's squeeze on town hall budgets was pushing parking levies "way up the agenda".

"Based on Nottingham it would probably work out at about 1 a day. Whether companies would pass the cost on to their staff may vary," she said. "This may not change behaviour but could raise money for public transport."

However Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, expressed concern at the plans.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Councils have had the power to impose workplace parking levies for a decade now. The power was given to deal with congestion, not to raise general revenue.

"There will be a lot of raised eyebrows amongst the nation's 34 million motorists that now, after ten years when no local authority introduced the scheme, so many are considering introducing the levy in the middle of a financial crisis."