Campaign to fight £3.4bn tax on work car park spaces launched
BUSINESSES across Yorkshire could be facing an eye-watering £3.4bn bill for simply using their own car parking spaces.
Under government plans, councils are being encouraged to apply for the power to introduce a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL), which would require all businesses in the area to register their workplace parking spaces and pay an annual fee for each space if they have more than 10 of them.
Nottingham City Council has already applied for the powers and a decision from the Transport Secretary on that scheme is imminent.
In the Nottingham proposals, the levy would start at £185 per space in 2010 but rise to £350 by 2014.
The Department for Transport is currently consulting on how WPLs should be implemented.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is calling for the Secretary of State to reject Nottingham City Council’s application and to abolish the blueprint for this stealth tax nationally.
Both Sheffield and Hull Chambers are backing the move and are urging business leaders to sign a petition against WPL.
Nigel Tomlinson, chief executive of Sheffield Chamber said: “With the economy now in recession and firms struggling with cash flow, the tax will be detrimental for companies, towns and local economies.”
Carol Thomsett, president of Hull & Humber Chamber, said: “We doubt that this scheme will work anywhere, but it would be particularly damaging in this part of the country where we are desperately trying to attract investment to our towns and cities.
“The threat of more red tape and a new stealth tax is the last thing businesses need in a recession.”
She added: “We don’t believe that any of our local authorities would take such a damaging step, but we have written to them to ask for reassurances.
“Ruling out the levy now would give businesses some certainty and send out a positive message that we are open for business.”
The petition can be accessed via the Chamber’s website at www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk. or by visiting BCC’s website.
