Plans for Bristol workplace parking levy scrapped due to inflation and 'stalled' underground

Plans for a workplace parking levy in Bristol have been dropped due to inflation and a lack of "funding and ambition" for a mass transit system.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said now was "not the time" to bring in more fees for drivers already struggling with the cost of living crisis.

A workplace parking levy would charge businesses for every employee parking at work, to encourage commuters to use public transport and cut congestion and pollution.

Details of the workplace parking levy plan were published on Monday 7 August after a judge ordered Bristol City Council to publish its report into how it could work.

The report found that a levy could raise millions every year towards the city’s public transport network, with a similar scheme in Nottingham introduced a decade ago raising more than £83 million for improving public transport.

Mr Rees said: “With high inflation during a national cost of living crisis, now is not the time to create more costs for people.

"Others will say that today is an ideal moment to hit teachers, nurses and other Bristolians parking at schools, hospitals and other workplaces in central Bristol for hundreds of pounds, if not more. They are wrong.

“Bristol has in recent years, like the rest of the world, seen major changes in working patterns during and following the pandemic.

"These patterns will also have been impacted by the introduction of the Clean Air Zone, for which our administration recently secured another £11 million to help people and businesses upgrade to compliant vehicles.

“A study was done into the idea of a workplace parking levy, which is lacking any modelling incorporating those major factors for its potential effectiveness.

"It remains incomplete and — with the current stalling of the funding and ambition to take a mass transit system forward — we have no plans to introduce this charge."

The council initially commissioned the report at a cost of £30,000 in 2021 as a potential option for funding upgrades to Bristol’s public transport network.

A levy in Bristol would likely be charged on about 9,000 parking spaces at city centre workplaces, according to the report.

While up to date estimates for charges or revenue weren’t given, the report said that an annual First Bus travel pass in Bristol used to cost £715.

This "should be taken into account" when setting the rate charged with a parking levy, it added.

The report said: “Bristol City Council is well positioned to progress with the development of a workplace parking levy.

"The drive, vision and ambition of Bristol City Council is exciting and will clearly lead to a high quality, sustainable transport system in Bristol.”

Credit: Alex Seabrook, local democracy reporter.