What is a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)?
A WPL is a charge that would be made to City of Nottingham employers. Liable parking spaces would be those employers provide for their staff or certain types of business visitors.
Within The Transport Act 2000, a workplace parking levy (WPL) can be used as an option to help mange congestion within a predefined geographical boundary. The details of the scheme have been developed in conjunction with the DfT. It is proposed that this scheme will apply to the entire Nottingham City area, as defined by the City boundary, as the scheme seeks primarily to address the whole City’s congestion.
Proposed WPL operation – who would this apply to?
WPL is a charge imposed by the Council for each workplace parking place that an organisation provides in the area covered by the scheme. Those organisations are required to obtain a licence covering the maximum number of workplace parking places provided. The charges are paid on that licence. It is a charge on the organisation, not the employee, and it is up to the organisation whether or not (and, if so, how) it chooses to pass the charge on. The Nottingham WPL scheme will apply to workplace parking places provided across the entire Nottingham City area – as defined by the City boundary – as the scheme seeks primarily to address the whole City’s congestion.
“Workplace parking” is defined widely by the TA 2000. In essence it includes any parking provided by an organisation for its employees, persons visiting the organisation for business reasons, and (where relevant) the organisation’s pupils and students. Workplace parking does not include parking by individuals not attending work or on business – e.g. shoppers, residential parking, and those using leisure facilities.
The Act allows the Council to modify the local application of the definition of workplace parking by creating:
- Exemptions from the requirement for certain types of workplace parking to be licensed – meaning that no charge is payable in respect of that parking; and
- Discounts on certain types of workplace parking – meaning that a licence will still need to be obtained for those spaces, although a reduced charge will apply.
Whats types of parking are exempt?
- Parking places used by customers attending retail and leisure facilities
- Parking places used by suppliers, agents and other business visitors who are not attending their regular place of work
- Parking places used for residential purposes
- Parking places that are organised and paid for by an individual separately from their employer (such as in a public car park)
- Parking places for motorcycles and bicycles
- Display vehicle parking place (a parking place to park a motor vehicle that forms part of the stock of a registered dealer in motor vehicles and is not used for the journey to work)
- Fleet vehicle parking place parking (a motor vehicle that remains parked overnight and which is not used by persons for commuting to and from the premises where the parking place is situated)
- Parking places used primarily for the purpose of delivering or collecting goods
- Vehicles parked for servicing and/or repair at a garage
Required to be licensed, but no charge payable (100% discount):
- Parking places at fire services premises
- Parking places at police services premises
- Parking at qualifying NHS premises – NHS hospitals, ambulance service premises, and GP practices
- Parking places occupied by disabled persons’ vehicles
- Parking places provided by an employer that provides in total ten or fewer liable spaces in the area covered by the scheme
- Parking places that are organised and paid for by an employer (such as in a public car park) where that employer provides ten or fewer liable spaces in the area covering by the scheme
Required to be licensed, with full charge payable:
- Parking places for employees including parking places that are organised and paid for by an employer (such as in a public car park)
- Parking places for suppliers, agents and other business visitors who are attending their regular place of work
- Pupils and students
In short, if someone is provided with parking at their regular place of work or study, including places contracted or otherwise provided in the vicinity of the workplace, then a charge will be levied.