Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt London mayor proposes workplace parking levy
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London mayor proposes workplace parking levy

Date: 03 October 2014   |   Author: John Mahoney

Businesses based in the capital could be levied with a new £400-a-year tax for each work place parking space if London mayor Boris Johnson gets his way.

Johnson unveiled his plans in his 'Transport Emissions Roadmap' report. In it he set out plans to cut localised pollution by imposing a scheme similar to Nottingham City Council's £362 annual parking levy per work car park space. Nottingham City Council is trialling automatic number plate recognition technology to enforce its workplace parking levy and London could utilise its congestion charge cameras that are already in place to monitor the capital's drivers.

Employers in Nottingham that provide 11 or more workplace parking places are required to get a workplace licence. Nottingham council has argued that introducing the workplace levy means it can improve public transport, including extensions of Nottingham's tram lines, and helping to buy electric buses. Businesses talking to the Nottingham Post have described the levy as a "tax".

As well as the new tax, Johnson raised the prospect of creating Low Emission Neighbourhoods, which could see the introduction of 'geo-fences' that use GPS tracking to lock plug-in hybrids into electric mode when entering the boundaries for zero tailpipe emissions.

The report also urges the introduction of more try-before-you-buy car-sharing schemes for drivers to use in London's present Low Emissions Zone - which operates to encourage the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles to become cleaner - to see if using one could work as a better alternative to owning their own car.
Johnson also mooted a pay-as-you-drive tax to replace the current VED and fuel tax, although he acknowledged central Government support for this would be crucial.

Finally, the London mayor has suggested a new scrappage scheme of up to £2000 to help drivers ditch 'dirty diesels' to switch to new, cleaner alternatives. This is on top of the extra £10-a-day charge he wants pre-Euro6 diesels and older petrols to pay when entering the London Congestion Charge zone.

Head of roads policy for the AA, Paul Watters, welcomed the proposed scrappage scheme, but said the drivers should be given at least "eight to 10 years'" notice before other penalties are introduced.
"Suddenly throwing the switch too quickly would upset the car market and upset drivers and introduce extra costs," said Watters.



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