Councillors in South Lanarkshire have taken aim at neighbouring Glasgow City Council for their support of a workplace parking levy – and ruled out introducing the charge in the region.
However, commuters from Rutherglen and Cambuslang could still be forced to pay for parking at work if the levy is introduced in Glasgow.
Rutherglen Central and North councillor Jared Wark said: “This car park tax is a tax on jobs – which will likely cost workers £500 just to park at their place of work.
“It is likely to hurt parents who require their car in dropping their kids off at school as part of their morning commute.
“For many people, switching from driving their car to getting public transport is just not a realistic option.”
The Conservative councillor added: “This hated tax will hit the poorest hardest. The SNP have put their budget deal with the Greens ahead of the people of Scotland.
“This new levy would increase the basic rate of tax paid by a worker on the real living wage from 20p in the pound, up to 30p. Those that will not be exempt include teachers, police officers, prison staff, fire and social care workers.
“The SNP minority administration in Glasgow – supported by the Greens – are likely to implement the car park tax. This would affect many people living in Rutherglen who commute to Glasgow.”
Lib Dem councillor Mark McGeever claimed the tax would impact the lowest earners most.
While Labour group leader Councillor Joe Fagan added: “We are concerned that other nearby councils could choose to introduce a workplace parking levy and place Lanarkshire commuters at a disadvantage.
“If public transport were better then the levy might help people make a modal shift from taking the car to the train or the bus. Unfortunately ScotRail is a shambles and the number of bus passenger journeys is at a record low.
“A workplace parking levy when public transport is in such a state is little more than a regressive tax on working people, hitting shift workers and the low-paid hardest.”
The SNP group in South Lanarkshire declined to comment.
However, Councillor Anna Richardson, Glasgow’s convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, said: “Glasgow City Council supports the introduction of a non-residential car parking levy in principle.
“Although the parking levy provision has now passed into law, public consultation will always be integral to the development of our own policy on this issue.”
