Workplace parking levies: another reason for cycling to work?

Another reason for employers to encourage employees to commute by bike is the looming workplace parking levy.

Nottingham is the first city in the UK to give details of its levy scheme. This will require all workplace parking spaces to be registered from October 2011, but only car parks with more than 10 spaces will be required to pay the levy.

All workplace parking spaces within the Nottingham City Council boundary must be registered. A levy of £253 per year per workplace parking space will be made in 2012 – this will rise to around £350 per annum by 2015.

Penalties for ‘exceeding’ the number of declared parking spaces, enforced by random checks, will be heavy – 50% of the annual charge per day per breach. Employers could pay the workplace parking levy charge themselves – they would not have to pass it on to their employees.

Other councils will be introducing their plans for workplace parking levy in the coming year, and organisations will not know the full impact of the tax in their area until details are released. But it can be assumed that any resultant cost and aggravation could be reduced if employers can encourage their staff to ditch driving in favour of cycling.

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