Advice and warning for Bristol's workplace parking levy plan (2025)

Nottingham is the only city with a workplace parking levy, but Bristol could soon be next

Bristol has been given advice and a warning over plans to roll out a workplace parking levy affecting thousands of drivers. Nottingham is the only city in the country to have introduced a charge on employees parking at their workplace, and a former council leader has offered his views.

A workplace parking levy would require most employers in Bristol to pay a charge per parking space, with the money generated being then spent on improving public transport. A levy could also lead to fewer people choosing to drive, cutting congestion on the city’s clogged up streets.

Graham Chapman led Nottingham City Council in the early 2000s, when plans began to be drawn up for a workplace parking levy. He was then the deputy leader of the council when the levy was rolled out in 2012 — and is now “offering some reassurance” to Bristol about its plans.

Writing in the Local Government Chronicle, Mr Chapman said Nottingham’s workplace parking levy reduced the growth in congestion by 47 per cent and helped fund an expansion of the city’s tram network. He described the levy, which was initially controversial, as “extremely successful”.

He said: “Despite all predictions there has been no loss of business to the city. The study also states that it has contributed to a 58 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

"The original expectation was that other councils would follow in quick succession. Indeed, that was the concern of opponents including the Institute of Directors, the CBI, the British Chamber of Commerce, Boots, the Daily Mail and a plethora of other organisations who formed an informal alliance to try and stem the tide.

"To some extent it worked — the flood gates did not open and despite lots of interest, no other city, until now, has taken the leap.” Employers within Nottingham’s boundary, who provide more than 10 parking spaces for staff, have to pay the city council £570 per space.

Most employers pass the charge onto staff. The levy aims to persuade fewer people to drive, while raising money to improve public transport.

No other city in Britain has rolled out a workplace parking levy, although Bristol could do so soon and other councils are also currently considering a charge. The levy was a key pledge in the Green Party’s manifesto, ahead of the local elections in May last year when they largely took control of Bristol City Council, alongside the Liberal Democrats.

Bristol’s workplace parking levy is expected to be very controversial. Critics of the council’s other plans to reduce congestion and improve public transport often claim it's a “war on drivers”, with vocal opposition to projects that reduce the space available and priority given to cars.

Both businesses and workers are already facing extra financial pressures, from the rise in National Insurance to the cost of living crisis, with much higher energy bills and housing costs than ever before. It’s unclear how much the levy will cost, but extra fees are rarely welcomed.

However in Nottingham, Labour actually increased the party’s majority just before the roll out. Mr Chapman added: “I can offer some reassurance to Bristol and others who are considering such a scheme, and some advice which might alleviate the concerns.

"An absolute prerequisite is a set of politicians who will take the decision, stick by it once the difficulties begin, and be prepared to respond to the problems and concerns and not hide behind officers.” According to the former council leader, Bristol should have a programme of transport upgrades funded by the levy, “so those paying can see the benefits”.

This could include better buses, park and ride sites and bike lanes. Small businesses and NHS staff are exempt in Nottingham, while council staff and councillors must pay the fee.

Some drivers aren’t able to catch the bus or train instead, and Mr Chapman said “it’s best to frankly admit it is a tax on motors”. On the other hand, reducing the number of drivers would cut harmful air pollution and increase capacity on the roads for the motorists who continue to drive.

Companies initially threatened to leave Nottingham because of the workplace parking levy. But Mr Chapman said no threats of “dire consequences” came true, despite Boots saying it would do so.

Another problem Mr Chapman warned of however is near schools and colleges, where staff now often park on residential roads instead, which “causes considerable low-level frustration”. Measures to counteract this include resident parking zones and painting new double yellow lines.

The advice will be “taken on board” by the council, which is thrashing out how a levy would work in Bristol, according to Green Councillor Rob Bryher, who leads the influential parking task force. The task and finish group is also looking at pavement parking and resident parking zones.

Writing on Bluesky, Cllr Bryher said: “Massive thanks to Graham Chapman (no, not that one), the former Labour leader of Nottingham City Council, for his advice to Bristol on implementing a workplace parking levy. We'll try to take all of this on board.”

Green Cllr Ed Plowden, chair of the transport policy committee, added: “Alongside Graham, we hope other councils may join in with this progressive policy.”

Previous work carried out by Bristol City Council suggested the levy could be around £20 per parking space, raising almost £10 million a year and affecting roughly 9,000 employees. Introducing a levy is expected to take at least three years, due to legal hurdles the council must go through. Exemptions could also be made for disabled people who have to drive a car.