Parking tax 'will hit residents'

Fears that Nottingham's Workplace Parking Levy will add to street parking problems outside the city centre have been voiced by the county council.

The city council has given the final go-ahead to plans to tax city centre businesses £253 per parking space per year from 2012.

But county transport bosses said it will "turn Nottinghamshire into a car park for the city".

City officials said park and rides, and resident-only zones will be created.

County councillor Richard Jackson, portfolio holder for transport, said: "It's a very real worry for people that the levy will add to street parking problems.

"We're already having to bring in residents' permit schemes in lots of areas, particularly to the east of Beeston to deal with university parking, and the Workplace Parking Levy is going to add to that."

'Enforcement measures'

Business leaders have also expressed concerns the levy could damage the local economy and force firms to move outside the city.

Nottingham is the first council to bring in the scheme, after ministers gave local authorities the powers in 2000 to introduce workplace parking charges to fund public transport improvements.

The city council plans to build two large park and ride sites, one off the A453 and the other near Bardills roundabout on the A52, which will provide 2,500 free car parking spaces for commuters to travel into the city centre on the tram.

City councillor Jane Urquhart, portfolio holder for transport, said: "We currently work closely with our colleagues at the county council to mitigate the problems of displaced parking in regional centres outside the city boundary.

"This is an issue particularly along good bus routes into Nottingham from outside the city boundary.

"The problems caused by displaced parking are often resolved by introducing enforcement measures such as resident permit holder only parking zones and other appropriate restrictions."

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