Morning:
2°c
Drivers face £250 a year charge to park at work
23 Aug 2010Councils across the country are pushing ahead with plans to charge for parking at workplaces, it has emerged.
Authorities including Bristol, York, Devon, Hampshire, Leeds, Bournemouth, South Somerset and Wiltshire are considering introducing levies in an effort to raise funds and cut congestion, according to the Daily Telegraph.
In London, a number of councils are said to be attending a seminar next month that has a workplace parking levy on the agenda. Authorities in Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Oxford have all previously expressed an interest.
The news comes despite ministers pledging to end what they described as Labour's "war on motorists" within days of coming to power.
An estimated 10 million people drive to work every day, and 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 a draft strategy, Bristol City Council describes the levy as a "revenue stream" to help fund other transport initiatives.
Under proposals being considered by York City Council, the charge would be paid "by the employer or charged to the employee". In Leeds, officials view the levy as an "important consideration in formulating a long-term strategy".
A Hampshire County Council consultation document says it is considering a "modest" - but unspecified - charge for the south of the region, including Southampton and Portsmouth, to "redress the imbalance between free commuter parking for some staff at office complexes" and "parking for other staff in public spaces where payment is required".
A spokesman for South Somerset District Council said: "Looking at reducing car travel to offices is something we are required to do, and the possibility of introducing some form of parking levy is one of many ideas that have been floated within our council."
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".
Reader views (32)
Public transport is NOT the answer. Every city in Britain is blocked up by horrid, stinking, carcinogenic (is that how you spell it?!) buses and diesel taxis. I have been on both Oxford Street and Cambridge Circus areas as a pedestrian countless times and been intimidated by the endless line of towering, stationary buses, belching out horrid diesel fumes and making a loud noise. They generate enormous traffic jams, the people on them are subjected to crowding and very very long journey times just to do a short journey home. Oxford Street has to be the worst, around 5pm every day it is a noisy, long line of buses. Unbearable. I am certain that the private, gasoline-powered cars are nowhere near as bad as these buses and make alot less noise, use up less space and dont intimidate everyone who is walking around. The sheer length of the buses make it impossible for traffic to move, because they get stuck on intersections and block off traffic entering on green lights, etc.
No first-world country should be like this. I used to drive my car and (weather permitting) ride my motorcycle everywhere in London, and it was much better. The British government obsession with screwing motorists in favor of this ancient and unwieldy public transport idea is bizzarre. Why should you not be free to drive your own vehicle should you wish? Id like to see at least 60 percent of these buses scrapped.
- Andrew, Tel Aviv, Israel, 24/08/2010 08:11
Report abuse
Steve, London, UK - exactly!
- Rogan, Irving, 24/08/2010 06:14
Report abuse
Headhunter - Hang on. You're a smoker and you're worried about respiratory diseases from car emissions?
The C-charge also makes the company who run it very wealthy because they take half the operating costs (£55m a year), a deal rubber stamped by Red Ken, everyone's favourite Socialist. And if it's so successful, why was London fined for its pollution levels? Surely this means the C-charge isn't working.
Local authorities and City Hall get enough taxes already and have done a fine job of mismanaging and wasting them. They have been on the rise since 2000 and services are still just as bad if not worse. Yet you expect us to give them more?
It's not selfish to expect value for money when motorists are constantly targeted with more and more charges. Or do you think owning a car is some kind of privelege? We tried Ken's watered down Socialism and it didn't work! Thats why he was voted out in favour of 'Bozo'.
- Ian Kemp, London, 23/08/2010 23:21
Report abuse
How is it that the most stupid people get jobs making decisions like this.
- stuart, chesterfield,derbyshire, 23/08/2010 21:09
Report abuse
"Headhunter - does that apply to taxis as well?..That's why the C-charge was such a stupid idea because it mostly penalises businesses with vehicles.
And if someone owns a car and pays all the taxes on it..who are you to tell them where to drive it?"
Yes, frankly I would happily see fewer overpriced empty black cabs blocking up London's roads. The C Charge is/was a fantastic idea, it brings revenue to government which would otherwise have to be raised at others' expense. We have seen this in action, Bozo has eliminated several streams of TfL revenue (potentially reducing the CC area, binning the 4x4 charge, binning the LEZ extension etc), the revenue which could have been raised through these has been transferred to the public transport using public. Bus fares for example have risen way faster than under Ken.
So because someone pays taxes on something they should be allowed to do it anyway? So if I pay taxes on my tobacco I should be allowed to smoke absolutely anywhere? If I pay taxes on alcohol I should be allowed sit and get wasted on any old street corner?
This selfish attitude - I pay therefore I have rights to do what I want wherever I want to is repulsive. I for one resent having to breathe record levels of pollution whilst in central London (the EU recently fined London for its poor air quality) and welcome restrictions to motoring in London.
I don't want to die of respiratory diseases simply so that someone else can can drive in London.
- Headhunter, London, 23/08/2010 16:39
Report abuse
@ James, Braintree UK.
As the article indicates.
'...it will be up to companies whether they pass the cost on..'.
You can bet your life that Councils will 'pick up' the cost for their own staff parking. In other words public sector employees will again be subsidised by the private sector car owning employee and the Council tax payers.
- pat, Croydon Uk, 23/08/2010 14:50
Report abuse
Surely this infringes on the human rights of both employer and employee? The employer is being denied the right to allow whosoever he chooses to park a car on his land. And when employers sell off the land that they can't afford to let employees park on, or pass the £250 charge on to their employees, the employees who cannot easily commute by public transport will become victims of this discrimination.
It's the worst possible sort of tax: one that decreases productivity and competitiveness, and alienates and antagonises the working public. It's a flat tax that will hit the poorest employees hardest, and which may push some employers over the line into insolvency (or force them to outsource their work outside the UK). Utter, complete, barking madness!
- Nigel, London, 23/08/2010 14:02
Report abuse
So basically councils are seizing private property and charging the owners for using it. In other countries this has started revolutions.
- John R., London, 23/08/2010 13:56
Report abuse
The public service workers/loafers last effort to eliminate any private and productive companies from the equation so as not to be shown up !!! The future is huge uncontrolled numbers of public service employees being paid with worthless money from the government printng presses and the bulk of the remainder who will be unemployed being paid a lot less from the same printing presses, result 3rd world status in one easy go !!!
- nick holland, glasgow, 23/08/2010 12:51
Report abuse
the next step will be for the council to tax your cars parked in your driveway at home! That will be lots of money!
- artfuldodger128, london, 23/08/2010 12:31
Report abuse
Anyone see a pattern here? Another great 'solution' to congestion and they charge more taxes but nothing improves. Services are still completely inadequate but Council leaders give themselves a pay hike.
These seminars should be made public so that we can attend and tell these leeches what we think. They work for us after all.
Headhunter - does that apply to taxis as well? Cars are basically priced out of central London anyway. That's why the C-charge was such a stupid idea because it mostly penalises businesses with vehicles.
And if someone owns a car and pays all the taxes on it (which are many) who are you to tell them where to drive it?
- Ian Kemp, London, 23/08/2010 12:25
Report abuse
Absolutely vital to tax anything that moves (or parks) so we can support the hard work of Town Hall pen-pushers and essential to pay more to prop up their gold-plated retirements and underpaid Chief Executives.
- Anglo, Sussex England, 23/08/2010 12:16
Report abuse
"So what happens to all of the council car parks, are they going to charge their own staff?"
- James, Braintree UK
Very good question. It will be interesting to see if a double standard is employed?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 23/08/2010 12:11
Report abuse
I note the councils are going to charge private companies but see no mention of charging their own employees who get free parking
- Les, Aylesbury UK, 23/08/2010 12:08
Report abuse
Time for a serious revolution in this tax-ridden land of ours. This is just another form of extortion to help councils meet their grossly huge pension deficits. It's got absolutely NOTHING to do with ANYTHING else. Vote these people out at the next council elections wherever you live and get someone in who will scrap any ideas like this!
- ID, Brighton UK, 23/08/2010 12:07
Report abuse
Perhaps people will stop abusing us motorcyclists that have been fighting Westminster for the last two years, and shouting to us that "its only a £1" now.
Maybe now is the time for the general motoring public to follow our lead and start bringing your local town centre to a halt every week until they agree to drop these plans. The public need to start fighting back.
So join us, every Wednesday morning/evening we pile a load of extra traffic onto Trafalger Square and bring it to a halt. Why don't you do the same in your area? An extra 10 cars circling a roundabout will cause so much congestion your local council will have to take notice of you.
No To Bike Parking Tax !
No To Car Parking Tax !
- Gordon, London, 23/08/2010 11:54
Report abuse
So what happens to all of the council car parks, are they going to charge their own staff?
- James, Braintree UK, 23/08/2010 11:29
Report abuse
".. councils, how exactly do they plan on collecting this tax when most of the carparks concerned are private land" - redsquare
I imagine that they'll just increase the business rates for companies that have enough space for a car park. Don't worry, they'll find a way!
- John Bull, Woking, Broken Britain, 23/08/2010 11:22
Report abuse
This is damned ridiculous and Headhunter, this idea is being discussed Nationwide, not just in London where the transport links are excellent, if a little crowded. There is a world outside Central London.
Anyway, if the company owns its own land then legally, how can a council force the company to charge their employees to park on their own land?
- Charlie, London, 23/08/2010 10:51
Report abuse
Whenever the word 'face' appears in a news story - ignore it, it won't happen.
How many times have you seen headlines about what motorists 'face'?
Motorists FACE petrol costs of 140p over bank holiday
Motorists FACE road pricing network
Motorists FACE being charged to park at work
etc etc...
- cynical londoner, london, 23/08/2010 10:44
Report abuse
This is the last choice that the government will remove from the British people. So far, every possible freedom and normal way of living has been removed, now driving to work will be so hindered by taxes and charges that it may as well have been forbidden.
Its disgusting. There are alot of major cities around the world where people are free to drive their own cars without being the subject of being taxed out of existance.
Britain is heading down the 3rd-world path very quickly and there is no quality of life (even for well off people) in London. The British people should do something about it! I for sure wouldnt be dictated to by these quangos as to when and where I can drive my own car that I PAID FOR! What a liberty!
- Andrew, Tel Aviv, Israel, 23/08/2010 10:39
Report abuse
'Authorities including Bristol, York, Devon, Hampshire, Leeds, Bournemouth, South Somerset and Wiltshire are considering introducing levies in an effort to raise funds.'
There. I've corrected your article.
- Steve, London, UK, 23/08/2010 10:25
Report abuse
and how exactly are the extra commuters expected to get onto public transport. In london everyone is jam packed on the trains/tubes/buses as it is. Yes i agree about the one driver per car issue, so why not incentive schemes to get car drivers to take passengers?
- sally brooks, london uk, 23/08/2010 10:25
Report abuse
What intrigues me is that the money grabbing jobsworths have to attend a seminar in order to sort out their thinking on charging for parking on land they don't own. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall as they discussed how to screw more money out of the poor citizens who pay for their very existence. What next, a tax for breathing? Hopefully the twats who dreamt up this money making scheme will be tossed out on the scrap pile come October.
- Richard, London, 23/08/2010 10:19
Report abuse
There is no room on our heavily congested, under invested public transport system as it is. Maybe the money raised has to ring fenced for those purposes instead of the councils using it for the public sectors pensions
- Rob V,, SE London, 23/08/2010 10:18
Report abuse
As Bristol City Council states charging for car parking spaces on private property is just another 'revenue stream'. In other words it is just another tax on local business's without being specific about how the revenue raised would be spent. No doubt the 'car space' tax would eventually be extended to include out of town shopping centres, local traders such as pubs and restaurants, and last but not least individual private residential homes where owner/occupiers have created parking spaces on their own front drives. Local Councils wont be slow in recognising the potential for increasing their income, and of course employing hundreds more people to administer the new tax, with little or no financial outlay to themselves.
- pat, coulsdon uk, 23/08/2010 10:03
Report abuse
How can Councils justify this "TAX" on jobs. What right have they to charge firms for providing car parking spaces for their employees on private land??? All i can see resulting from these levies is more firms going under and more people losing their jobs. These councils and the Government should realise that they can't just help themselves to our money whenever they want. Guess this is why wheel clamping firms are getting banned so the councils can extort money out of the public.
- Paul McCarthy, Barton upon Humber, Nth Lincs, 23/08/2010 09:59
Report abuse
Just another money grabbing exercise by councils, how exactly do they plan on collecting this tax when most of the carparks concerned are private land?
The greed of councils knows no bounds!
- redsquare, london, 23/08/2010 09:57
Report abuse
Interesting to hear the usual disingenuous words from councils about their public spirited reasons for raising money from other people's parking facilities. It won't affect council employees as it will be money in to the council and money out from the council.
I'm old enough to remember that when parking meters came in the money raised was to provide off street parking. Anyone ever heard of any off street parking provided by these revenues?
I'm not quite old enough to remember when income tax came in but I live in hopes as it is still a "temporary" tax.
- Stephen C, London, 23/08/2010 09:49
Report abuse
There are of course vast numbers of people who cannot get to their place of work other than by their own car because of the journey they have to make or because of the times they have to work,I thought we had a Government that wanted more people in employment and lets face it this would make it harder for people to return to work. Yes their are a number of our larger towns and cities that do have very good transport links but even then as I said earlier work times can still cause problems for people trying to use them. I my home town if I relied on buses to get to work I would be an hour late each day because they don’t run until after I have be at work.BUT OF COURSE THIS IS REALLY ONLY ANOTHER WAY OF TAXING CAR OWNERS.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford, 23/08/2010 09:41
Report abuse
Good. Get cars out of central London as much as possible. Most journeys across London by car involve a single occupant driving a matter of a couple of miles through gridlocked, polluted streets.
- Headhunter, London, 23/08/2010 09:32
Report abuse
It wont be long before we all just get on a bendy bus to china each Monday morning.
- bobby, berks, 23/08/2010 09:02
Report abuse
