What does a small business need to make life more difficult now?
Yes, you’ve got it, another tax. Hardly surprising then that the businesses in Nottingham are united in their opposition to a workplace parking levy.
Essentially, each business providing 10 parking spaces or more would pay a levy of £185 per space. The tax raised would go towards improving public transport. The government is currently considering the plans.
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce believe that the city council’s plans for a levy will harm the economy of Nottingham.
One representative on the steering committee for the STOP campaign against the Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy, told me: “What is stunning is the council’s dismissal of business opposition when it is clear that the additional costs to business will damage the local economy. Just what sort of level of opposition will cause the council to rethink its plans?”
In my experience, councils have very limited understanding of what makes businesses work.
Taxing already stretched businesses further – providers of employment in such challenging times – is just plain daft.
Yes, we all want better transport. We all want to get to work. But if the scheme is going to benefit the whole of Nottingham, then just placing the burden on Nottingham businesses is simply unfair.
Another tax for small businesses