Myth buster: workplace parking levy
Lots of commentary about this POTENTIAL policy, so we took a look.
In short: build for the city you want, not the cars that commute into it.
🧵
FACTS: Employers pay the levy via a licence to the Council.
Nottingham exempts all employers with fewer than 10 spaces. 10+ pay £415/year per space.
c80% of employers pass it on.
In 🏴, blue badge spaces parking at GPs Hospitals & hospices are exempt.
Credit @SueFlack1 👇
POTENTIAL PAYEES:
The Scottish Parliament estimates 31k employees COULD be subject to a charge if implemented in Edinburgh.
A lot right? Well about c9%.
c90% (330k) wouldn’t face a charge, but could benefit from reduced congestion.
spice-spotlight.scot/2019/05/10/the…
It could raise £9m-£12m in Edinburgh.
Remember the common retorts/circular arguments:
♻️Public transport/cycling isn’t good enough…
♻️ it needs to improve before I leave my car…
♻️there’s no funding to improve it…
That’ll help address these.
IMPACT ON Nottingham so far:
✅raised £75m
✅ringfenced levy has delivered transport improvements that have helped attract inward investment
✅ reduction in congestion & commuting by car
✅city hasn’t needed to introduce low emissions zone yet
IS IT FAIR:
There could be impacts. No doubt. But in basic terms, the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to drive.
And it’s the most subsidised transport.
The less you earn, the more likely you’ll suffer from road violence, pollution or congestion (eg bus delays)
IS THE STATUS QUO FAIR?
Residents & business already pay for (largely) well off folk getting free parking
🚗🚗UK’s most congested city
🚗💥collisions
🚗🎧noise linked to early onset dementia
🚗💨200 early deaths per year from pollution
🚗👩👩👦👦kids not walking to school
Why wait?
This is anecdotal, but shows the impact.
🗣 “this is unfair, it would make me walk or get the bus to work, rather than drive 2 miles. That’s inconvenient and costly!”
Yes. Exactly. But so are the longer term climate and ill health implications of short, avoidable car trips.
Should Edinburgh overlay a workplace parking levy with a low/no emissions zone or congestion charge?
Here’s the plan from Oxford.
@lmacinnessnp @adamrmcvey @cllrcammyday @CllrCMiller @kevin_lang @CllrWhyte?
What if we could create jobs and healthy communities while cutting car use and pollution?
@EdinburghSNP @EdinburghGreens @EdinburghLabour @EdinburghTories @EdinburghLibDem @best_edinburgh @LivingStreetsEd
Streets not roads?
forbes.com/sites/carltonr…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.