HIGHWAY chiefs have blasted Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) idea of introducing a workplace parking levy.

The authority is considering either a charge for businesses or a congestion charge as a way of easing traffic in the town centre.

Councillors also want to create a revenue stream to help fund upgrades and improvements to its highways.

At a meeting tonight (Monday), members have been advised to back a detailed review into the options.

It will include carrying out a consultation on a workplace parking levy, similar to a scheme that was introduced in Nottingham.

The levy will see businesses which have a certain amount of parking spaces pay an annual fee.

But the AA has criticised the proposals.

“From the outset, the AA has argued that a Workplace Parking Levy is nothing more than a tax on workers,” said Edmund King, president of AA.

“With dwindling shopper numbers, this levy is particularly damaging for businesses and the workers who come in every day and support shops by eating lunch, shopping and after-hours entertainment.

“A £402-a-space annual levy, when passed on to an employee. is more than six days pay under the living wage (£7.85/hr) and must surely hurt the commercial vibrancy of a city.

“WPL discriminates against one group of workers, forcing them to take the rap for congestion that is hardly their fault but mainly down to poor planning and long-term underinvestment in public transport.”

AA’s Figures show Reading Borough Council rakes in £3.5m in parking, residents’ permits, parking fines and bus lane penalties per year.

Mr King added: “Nottingham has a population of 330,000, according to ONS figures and raises £9 million from its Workplace Parking Levy. Reading has a population of 165,000.

"Reading already raises a surplus of more than £3.5 million from parking, residents permits, parking fines and bus lane penalties.

“That’s the fund they could turn to for bringing forward spending on public transport improvements.”

Speaking about the proposals, Cllr Tony Page, Reading’s lead member for transport, said: “The workplace parking levy is something we're going to look at as well.

"We are essentially going to take the Nottingham scheme as a basis for a consultation.

"We would be looking to consult with employers in Reading about the possibility of a scheme.

"A key point to emphasise is that with the Nottingham scheme all businesses with 10 or fewer parking spaces are exempt from the charge."