Edinburgh City council’s minority Labour Group is proposing that the Scottish capital follows Nottingham with a workplace parking scheme, which could charge firms £300 annually per space for parking that’s currently free.
The council Labour Group’s commitment to “considering” a programme is part of a series of studies to be raised at consultation meetings as the party prepares its local election manifesto.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, the Labour Group’s transport spokeswoman, said they wanted to examine “places like Nottingham” with a view to transferring raised business parking revenue to transport projects.
She said: “We won’t consider it at this moment, but it is an idea that we will consider further down the line.”
An AA study in Scotland found that 84% of people believe that this type of parking levy was an additional means of taxing work.
Business groups have also argued that it could result in commuters parking on residential streets.
Another area potentially susceptible to a WPL is Cambridgeshire, with the Campaign for Better Transport claiming a scheme across the county could relieve congestion on the A14.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical firm Alliance Boots has confirmed that it will be passing on part of the Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy to staff.
Charging in the Nottingham scheme comes into effect from 1 April, with all employers in the city that have more than 10 spaces for employees already required to have applied for a permit costing £288 plus VAT per space, rising to £334 in 2013/14 then £364 and £381 per space in the following years.
Boots had originally talked of moving its car park across its site in Beeston to shift all its parking outside the Nottingham City Council boundary, but it has now said that 3000 of its 4500 spaces will be paid for as part of the scheme.
But rather than swallowing the entire cost itself, Boots will pass some onto its employees.
“We continue to be opposed to the Nottingham City Council tax on car parking, which affects around 7500 colleagues based at the Alliance Boots Beeston site,” said a spokesperson.
“While the company will part-subsidise the levy, from 1 April colleagues will pay between 30p and 70p a day for parking on site, in proportion to their salary and work time.
Follow BusinessCar on TWITTER.