Plan to charge drivers £350 to park at the office is slammed as a 'tax on work'

Ray Massey
UK Daily Mail
Friday, Dec 12, 2008

A controversial blueprint for taxing people around £350 a year to park at work was unveiled yesterday by the Government.

But it was immediately condemned by employers as a 'stealth tax' and by motoring groups as a 'tax on work'.

The AA also suspected that ministers were using the workplace parking plan as a 'plan B' in case - as is expected - Manchester votes against a local congestion charge, killing off the idea for many other cities.

The motoring group fears the workplace parking tax will give cash to hungry councils an alternative weapon with which to wage war on drivers.

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Yesterday ministers took the final step to allow councils to charge businesses for parking places they provide to staff. Companies have already warned they will have to pass the charge on to employees.

A 12-week consultation on regulations to govern so-called 'workplace parking levy' schemes has been set up and will report in March next year, junior transport minister Paul Clark said.

Full article here