Workplace parking levy: Labour and Tories in failed bid to defeat new rules

Tory MSP Graham Simpson attempted to defeat the Government’s plans to allow councils to charge workplaces to offer parking to employees, with a chance that those employees could in turn be asked to foot the bill.

The regulations were passed with the Transport Act 2019 and are intended to reduce reliance on cars and curb emissions.

But they have remained controversial with business groups and trade unions raising concerns.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon outlines new Scottish framework for dealing with Covid-19

An exemption has been introduced for NHS workers but no other public sector employers – something Unison highlighted as a key problem.

The SNP has accused the parties of “opposition for opposition’s sake”.

Jackie Dunbar, who sits on the committee, said: “This is just rank hypocrisy from both the Tories and Labour who have tried to stop the SNP from delivering on its manifesto pledge to introduce a workplace parking levy.”

Labour pledged to explore introducing parking levies in both Edinburgh and Glasgow while the Tories made a manifesto commitment in 2021 to “empower” councils to persuade people to take more environmentally friendly transportation.

Simpson, who moved to annul the regulations which would enable the levy at a meeting of the Transport Committee on Tuesday, said: “We need to be building back from the pandemic. The wrong way to do that is to impose extra taxes on employers, which could potentially be passed on to employees.”

READ MORE: 'Most detailed study ever' into Highland community's housing crisis announced

Labour’s Monica Lennon voted with the two Tory members of the committee to delay or drop the introduction of the rules.

During the committee discussion, Lennon conceded she would “like to get to a place” where she would support a parking levy.

“But we have to demonstrate that public transport is affordable, accessible and is safe for everyone who needs to use it,” she added.

“I am concerned these discussions have been taking place in recent weeks with the STUC and workers on the frontline.”

Simpson said he was concerned for shift workers who relied on cars for safe transport.

The Tory shadow transport secretary said: “I used to be a shift worker myself in a city centre and it was a concern particularly for some of my female colleagues, having to walk through a city centre late at night.

“But what if you work in an industrial estate at night where there is no public transport and your employer decides to pass on this parking levy?”

Transport minister Jenny Gilruth defended the levy on Tuesday morning, telling MSPs it was unlikely the scheme would start immediately – despite powers coming in on March 1.

READ MORE: Time for RT to be closed down, SNP MP says in light of Ukraine invasion

The minister drew parallels with Brexit, saying the UK Government chose to “plough ahead” with leaving the EU during “the worst excesses of the pandemic”.

She also told the committee no modelling has been carried out at government level to understand how the scheme will affect workers.

Gilruth told how most of the evidence used for the scheme is from Nottingham City Council – where the only other such scheme in the UK is in operation.

“We can’t model in advance of the schemes taking place – we have to trust our local authority partners to do this and to get it right for their local communities,” the minister said.

Speaking afterwards, the Scottish Greens’ environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell said the Tories had an “an uncomfortable relationship with scientific evidence”.

He accused the Conservatives of engaging in a campaign to increase “transport emissions and dangerous air pollution”.

Dr Liz Cameron, head of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said the levy would “risks undermining growth” as Scotland plans its Covid recovery.

She added: “Businesses are just starting to recover from the severe financial impact of the past two years and employees are facing a rising cost-of-living crisis, neither can afford uncapped charges being placed on them for simply using their car to commute.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Workplace parking licensing schemes have the potential to encourage the use of more sustainable travel, while raising revenue that will be used to improve public and sustainable transport. It supports our commitment to reduce car kilometres travelled by 20% by 2030 as part of our climate change goals.

“These new discretionary local powers, which are already held by councils in England and Wales, were welcomed by our local authority partners in COSLA and by local leaders of all parties, as well as Transform Scotland, Friends of the Earth and other transport partners.

“Now that the motion to annul has been rejected by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, the regulations will provide the procedural framework to local authorities to use these discretionary powers and we will continue to work towards publishing guidance for them in the first half of this year.”