Chamber relieved as Birmingham scraps parking levy plans

GREATER Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has welcomed the decision by Birmingham City Council to scrap plans for a parking levy on local businesses.

The local authority had been reviewing plans introduced in Nottingham for a £375 levy on local businesses for allowing their employees to park at their premises free of charge.

The scheme is aimed at cutting city centre congestion levels.

However, after completing the review, Birmingham has now ruled out a similar move.

The GBCC had said it was opposed to any move to impose a parking levy that would potentially cost employers thousands of pounds a year.

Stephanie Wall, GBCC senior policy and patron adviser, said: “This has come  as a tremendous relief to businesses in Greater Birmingham.
 
“The cost for all firms with more than 11 employees would have been prohibitive. Businesses are already struggling to cope with additional cost pressures from the recent introductions of Auto Enrolment and the National Living Wage.  
 
“Businesses are still battling to maintain and increase turnover and need every advantage they can get.”
 
She said a parking levy would have been a “charge too far” for businesses, especially at a time when the EU referendum was creating so much economic turbulence.

 

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