The TaxPayers’ Alliance has a long history of opposing workplace parking levies, but they just keep popping up elsewhere. It turns out councils really can’t resist the lure of a quick, money-grabbing scheme, despite the damage to local businesses.
Oxfordshire County Council are proposing to introduce such a levy, following Nottingham City Council’s model of charging £375 per parking space per year for businesses with more than 10 spaces. This would mean a cost of at least £4,000 per affected business.
While this proposal is in its early stages it is already drawing criticism. Rob Lindley, chief executive for Harley-Davidson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, who have around 100 car parking spaces, said the levy amounted to a "tax on employment".
We at the TaxPayers’ Alliance would certainly support this sentiment. The levy would be on top of existing business rates and would add to the already heavy burden of taxation.