just those on high salary or with disability who have the parking at Cooncil HQ
And a dozen or so councillors (some of whom may come under one of the categories you mention).
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Scottish Budget 2019/20 (now mostly about workplace parking)
(145 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
-
I know Labour is opposing the workplace levy because they think it will be a popular stick to beat the SNP & Greens, but honestly – what a pig’s ear this.
“It looks likely that the Labour Party will oppose the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levy when it holds its conference in Dundee this weekend, which may cause a little embarrassment, if not discomfort, to party members in Edinburgh who backed the idea when drawing up their manifesto for the 2017 local government elections.
Although Edinburgh will be handed the power to bring in a levy, the council has quite rightly given a commitment to embark upon a consultation exercise before considering such a move.
The Labour Group leader in the city council, Cammy Day, said: “It’s not about targeting motorists, it’s about creating a more sustainable Edinburgh. This is one of the tools we should be looking at and I hope conference will accept that.” Some hope.”
Posted 5 years ago # -
Midlothian Conservative Councillor Group has a motion to council next week on WPL:
"Council resolves to:
1. Agree not to implement a Work Place Parking Tax within the term of thisCouncil as it is a negative and regressive action
2. Acknowledge that responsible car use is essential for many Midlothian Residents
3. Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Edinburgh Council to advise them of the detrimental effect introducing a workplace parking tax would have on Midlothian Residents.
4. Commends instead positive moves to encourage alternative transport modes where appropriate, such as the recently announced Sheriffhall Roundabout cycle lane proposals."(Full text here: http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19429&replies=2#post-303489 )
Posted 5 years ago # -
Hmm, I guess they forgot to add the clarification that Midlothian Residents driving into Central Edinburgh/The Gyle on a daily basis might not be considered responsible.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Labour's finance spokesperson, James Kelly MSP, now calling WPL "the worker's tax".
Posted 5 years ago # -
Claudia Beamish now in the Herald from what she said at the Spokes meeting about the workplace levy. Of all the hills to die on for Labour, this is the most pointless.
"Claudia Beamish, the spokesperson for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, said she is “uncomfortable” with Labour’s position and added that she hopes the policy “will come”.
She also dismissed the party’s line that the charge is regressive and added that many motorists in Edinburgh are men who drive SUVs."
Posted 5 years ago # -
Would they rather it was progressive? If it was based on average salary I'm willing to bet it would cost companies more. I can't imagine average drivers have below average salaries.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Who gets parking spaces at work? With council it is only the high heid yins or those who are challenged by the building's accessibility challenges.
Chap I know in Scottish widows or similar cycles a lot but does not wish to give up the status of his parking space. He is up the tree for sure
Posted 5 years ago # -
In our (city centre) office there are something like 4 spaces for a firm with 400+ employees. And they are reserved for clients. If you want to drive to work you have to park at a local multi-storey (for which the company has negotiated a small discount).
Posted 5 years ago # -
Of all the hills to die on for Labour, this is the most pointless.
I get the impression that they are very scared and this causes short-term stupid thoughts to become prevalent.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Lots of parking space squatting going on at Scottish Widows as I understand it - lots of people with sufficient seniority who have a space 'just in case' and then a long waiting list. Levy if passed on to employees may result in space redistribution? May be bad news for private parking operators, and may induce some who currently bus it to drive if they can get a workplace space? (Dis)incentives may be perverse.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@chdot - I've read various explanations for the causes of terrorism, some amounting to whole books, but a place of work levy? That really is novel.
Next winding of the ratchet:- Disgruntled motorists turn to terrorism as part of asymmetrical war against the car.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I await the hostage taking - all of the Green MSPs?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Oh dear.
I could quite easily be convinced that an exemption for emergency services is a good idea, but why on Earth do they call for the whole thing to be scrapped?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Yeah, because Nottingham is completely overrun with terrorists these days. Not.
Posted 5 years ago # -
'the proposal will do "nothing to mitigate" the risks faced by police officers when they finish their shift and head home.'
Neither will stopping off at Kripsy Kreem for doughnuts on the way home, but I don't hear police unions calling for KK to be banned...
Posted 5 years ago # -
Thinking Fettes -
So, do all police officers get FREE parking on site and all other staff park (and pay) on the surrounding streets?
So the argument is that charging POs a token amount would make them move to more expensive parking?
Perhaps most police stations are surrounded by streets with free parking?
Wouldn’t security be increased if a certain section of workers weren’t identifying themselves by driving to a designated place??
Posted 5 years ago # -
I asked the police how many parking spaces they had at each of their stations in Edinburgh.
"There is no record held of the number of parking spaces available in each of the stations within Police Scotland."
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Frenchy, really? Could you test that with an FOI request?
Posted 5 years ago # -
@crowriver, @Frenchy, you would probably have to be specific in the request under FOI. Asking about every Police station in Scotland might well be refused on the grounds of costing more than £600 (or whatever the current reasonable limit is). But an Edinburgh-specific FOI request should be fair game.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Or just named ones.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Police officers used to have a cunning way of indicating to other officers and traffic wardens their ownership of their car while it was parked somewhere it might get a ticket (and therefore didnt). Not sure if they still use it but they did as recently as 7 years ago.
Posted 5 years ago # -
It was an FOI request I did. Exact wording was:
"I would like to know how many parking spaces each of your stations in the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City local authority areas has."
Posted 5 years ago # -
mgj: is that the Police College sticker in the windscreen thing?
Posted 5 years ago # -
I call foul on PS' part. There is no way that they don't have an official record. Any half decent facilities management team will know that information.
Call for a review of your case, stating that this is basic FM information and you don't believe isn't held. If not, why not? They won't like it but they'll have to go along with it.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Done, danke.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The workplace parking levy proposals are now out. An overview is available here.
More importantly, a survey by the Scottish Parliament's REC Committee on the proposals is available here.
Tweet or forward this to as many supportive types as possible - as I imagine the EEN frothers and friends will be replying in force.
Posted 4 years ago # -
The survey is only 3 questions long and closes on the 20th. Do it now without delay.
Posted 4 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
posts
