A Reform UK Senedd Member has urged the Welsh Government to block Cardiff Council’s plan to charge employers for workplace parking.
Cai Parry-Jones MS said the scheme would damage the local economy by putting employers off moving to Cardiff and creating jobs, while some existing businesses may leave the city.
Under plans which are set for consultation, businesses would have to pay an annual charge to the council based on their number of employee parking spaces, with council documents suggesting the charge could be as much as £750 per space.
The Council believes the scheme could raise around £10 million per year.
While the new scheme would be implemented by City Hall, Council documents and the Transport Act 2000 are clear that the Welsh Government would have to bring forward secondary legislation to allow the move to go ahead.
Parry-Jones, who represents Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf in the Senedd, is calling for the Welsh Government to refuse to bring such legislation forward, essentially halting the potential move.
A workplace parking charge is in place in Nottingham, where all employers must obtain a licence regardless of how many liable parking spaces they have, but only pay the £592 per-space charge if they have 11 or more.
