The SNP Government have been warned that hardworking Scots will be hammered if they press ahead with their workplace parking tax.
The Scottish Conservatives brought forward a vote today in the Scottish Parliament demanding that it be scrapped.
Shadow Transport Minister, Graham Simpson called the introduction of the tax “atrocious” and “ill-timed” when the country is in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, while businesses - who are still trying to recover from the pandemic - are also opposed.
Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chamber of Commerce, said businesses are “incredulous” at the prospect of having to either absorb the uncapped charges themselves or pass them onto already hard-pressed workers.
The Scottish Conservatives sought to annul the tax in a committee debate yesterday, but were voted down by the SNP and their Scottish Green coalition partners.
Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth has refused to grant national exemptions for the likes of police, fire brigade and teachers, leaving local councils with the power to impose the tax on key public-services workers if they wish.
Calum Steele, General Secretary of the International Council of Police Representative Associations, called into question the potential impact on officer safety, and said the tax was “ill-conceived when first devised and remains so now”.
The Scottish Conservatives are firmly opposed to what they see as an unfair tax, and party leader Douglas Ross has said that no Scottish Conservative-led council will impose it.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Graham Simpson said: “The SNP’s atrocious car park tax is set to clobber hard-working Scots who rely on a car to get to work, including some of our lowest earners.
“This hated tax is not just unfair, it’s incredibly ill-timed - but the SNP and the Scottish Greens don’t appear to care that people are facing a cost-of-living crisis and businesses are struggling to get back on their feet after the pandemic.
“The SNP’s stubborn desire to press ahead without even putting a cap on charges means that councils have free rein to charge Scots as much as they like for the privilege of parking at work.
“It’s time they did the right thing by listening to the public, business groups and trade unions and ditching this ill-conceived tax.”
Notes
Liz Cameron from the Scottish Chamber of Commerce warned that businesses were ‘incredulous’ regarding the prospect of the imposition of the WPL. The business backlash to these proposals from within our membership has been substantial. Businesses are incredulous that they are facing yet more upfront business costs, just as the economy is beginning to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and employers are getting back on their feet’ (Fife Chamber of Commerce, 21 February 2022, link)
Calum Steel, the General Secretary of the Police Representation Association called the WPL ‘ill conceived’. He tweeted ‘Impact of a parking levy on police officers, many of whom work shifts & cannot rely on public transport (for many reasons inc a lack thereof, & for officer safety reasons) will be devastating. It was ill conceived when first devised & remains so now.’ (Calum Steel, Twitter, 10 February 2022, link).