As the government struggles to find ways to support council funding; motorists may find themselves being charged hundreds of pounds per year to park their cars at work. Initially seen as a way of encouraging the use of public transport and reducing congestion and CO2 emissions, it is now thought that parking levies in the workplace are a way for cash strapped councils to increase their incomes.

An investigation by the Daily Telegraph suggests that a number of councils throughout the UK are now looking into taxing motorists who drive to work as a way of boosting their dwindling coffers. According to the paper, Nottingham city council has announced that as of 2012 it will be asking for £250 from employees who have more than 11 spaces in their car parks. It plans to increase this amount to £350 the following year.

Other councils apparently preparing to roll out similar schemes include Leeds, Hampshire, Devon, York, Bristol, Bournemouth, Wiltshire and South Somerset. In Leeds the City Council said it was looking at a levy as an important part of any long term strategy. In York the City Council would be looking to ask either the employee of the employer to pay the fee.

South Somerset District Council said it was looking at ways of reducing the numbers of cars on the roads and it was discussing the possibility of a car parking levy as one of the ways in which to do this.

Reports that new taxes on motorists are currently under consideration have angered many who thought the current government had declared that it was ending the war on motorists.