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It is very important to have high quality alternatives to private cars in place, explains Chris Carter.

Nottingham already has a good public transport system in place but the levy made it better, he insists.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles admits to being "somewhat perplexed" because no other council has copied Nottingham.

Prof Ison agrees, adding he too is perplexed!

Implementing a disincentive, which some would call a tax, is not easy and Nottingham has been very brave he suggests.

Mr Mountain asks if there is any evidence about what the 7,000 parking spaces lost have been redeveloped.

Some have been redeveloped and others are now redundant, replies Mr Carter.

Before asking a further question the committee convener says: "I'm being very naughty here but I can get away from it because I can criticise myself afterwards."

Mr Mountain asks another that if business rates are based on the property values then has there been any reduction in the rental value of properties.

I'm not aware of that, responds Mr Carter.

Convener Edward Mountain asks whether planning regulations around the requirement for a set amount of parking spaces have been charges.

Chris Carter explains Nottingham City Council puts a maximum limit of spaces rather than a minimum limit.

Mr Mountain asks about the fall in the number of parking spaces.

Mr Carter says the first thing most businesses will do is a result of the scheme is review the spaces they have and see which is required.

He highlights businesses are only required to pay for parking spaces that are used, meaning they can put remaining land to better use.

SNP MSP Gail Ross asks if Nottingham has any other measures like low emission zones or congestion charging.

No, we were considering a clean air zone, but we are no longer required to do that as air quality issues are being addressed through bus retro-fitting and taxi policies says Chris Carter.

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Both witnesses agree the workplace parking levy was simpler than introducing congestion charges or low emission zones.

Prof Ison points out the there were failed attempts to introduce congestion charges in Edinburgh.

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Tory MSP Jamie Greene wonders if drivers are parking cars in the suburbs of Nottingham to avoid the charge, asking about analysis of displacement.

Chris Carter says displacement does need to be addressed if a council is considering a levy.

Nottingham City Council has paid special attention to parking regimes to avoid this, including putting restriction in place or increasing the number of residential parking schemes, he adds.

Prof Ison points out across the country a lot of employers charge employees for parking.

The Loughborough University academic says there is no specific way the money is used.

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It seems an odd one to charge for parking at the workplace, but a lot of workplaces just don't have the space Prof Ison explains.

Ms Watt asks if the levy is discriminatory, citing workers with childcare responsibilities who need a car to get to a nursery from work.

The professor replies many workplaces have quite sophisticated schemes for workers with childcare or caring issues, but he accepts what Ms Watt is saying.

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There is a "clear majority" in favour of councils being given powers to bring in a new levy on workplace parking, research by a Holyrood committee has found.

A survey by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee of almost 4,600 people and organisations found 58.5% backed the controversial measure, with 41.5% opposed.

The overwhelming majority of responses - 4,491 of 4,598 - came from private individuals, with 58.94% of this group in favour of local authorities being granted the power.

Meanwhile, of the 50 businesses that took part, 80% were opposed to the introduction of a workplace parking charge.

Overall, the survey "shows there is a clear majority in favour of local authorities being given this power".

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks how much of the money taken from the levy goes into administration of the scheme.

Chris Carter says it costs approximately £500,000 for running the scheme, which includes the business support element, with £9.5m raised.

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The Scottish government has defended plans that could see motorists taxed for parking at work amid claims that it will "fleece" workers for hundreds of pounds a year.

Proposals for a workplace parking levy were included in last week's budget agreement between the SNP and Greens.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney told MSPs that it would be up to individual councils whether to introduce it.

The Conservatives said the tax would hit low-paid workers the hardest.

• Will you have to pay to park at work?
• Look back on FMQs with Holyrood Live
• Read more here

Prof Ison explains organisations can have a very sophisticated method of implementing the levy.

Mr Smyth asks if it is not regressive to allow an employer to pass the cost on to anybody irrespective of salary.

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The scheme works in terms of the council charging the employer, but we do advise they adopt schemes that vary it depending on salary, replies Mr Carter.

He adds the levy goes beyond the urban area and includes rural areas.

Mr Smyth asks if it is fair people living in rural areas outwith the city get no benefit.

Mr Carter argues park and ride is a particular feature of the scheme.

We offer business support as part of the scheme, Chris Carter tells the committee.

This includes a grant scheme so employers can provide facilities for staff, for example cycle shelters and showers, he explains.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth turns discussion to exemptions and Mr Carter confirms exemptions apply to frontline NHS staff only.

Mr Smyth asks whether the fee is exactly the same for staff whatever their wage.

Mr Carter says the charge applies to businesses, so it is up to them whether to pass is on to their employees.

The city council itself changes the amount people pay depending on their salary, he reveals.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks about the reaction from the public.

Chris Carter from Nottingham City Council replies there have been different reactions from different people.

He elucidates that city residents generally support it, but obviously people driving from further afield will feel they are being negatively impacted by it.

Mr Lyle pivots to exemptions from the levy.

Mr Carter points out there are very few exemptions in Nottingham, with the only significant exemption being the NHS one.

The beauty of the workplace parking levy is that its flexible but it must be simplistic and too many exemptions would be mistake he adds.

Mr Finnie wonders about the impact on business investment.

"We can't identify any particular business that has moved out of Nottingham as a result of the levy," says Chris Carter.

He says business will want to come to city centres because of good transport links, which can include modes like the tram.

Prof Ison agrees there is "no evidence" the levy has led to outward investment, pointing to similar cities for comparison.

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Written submissions from those who are providing oral evidence are contained in the Annex, other submissions received are available here, external.

Green MSP John Finnie , supported by the Scottish government, has lodged amendments, external to the Transport (Scotland) Bill concerning a workplace parking levy.

The purpose of today’s meeting is to discuss in more general terms the policy intentions of the proposed levy.

SPICe has produced a short briefing on the levy., external

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Green MSP John FInnie, who has submitted the workplace parking levy amendments, asks if it has had an impact on local air pollution levels.

Mr Carter replies there is a clear link as it has helped to contain traffic growth in Nottingham.

He says partly because of the levy Nottingham can now comply with the air quality regulations.

SNP MSP John Mason asks if the levy has had an impact on congestion.

Prof Stephen Ison confirms it has, explaining it has stopped as much growth in traffic as in other cities.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman suggests the investment in public transport will have led to higher use and he wonders how much of the increased patronage would be due to that or the levy itself.

Prof Ison agrees it is difficult to untangle this but Nottingham can point to more cycling and more bus patronage.

Chris Carter accepts the direct impact on modal change from the levy is probably small, but reiterates investment came from the levy.

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Mr Rumbles asks if the levy is such a success why are you the only council that has done this.

Historically when the legislation was put in place there were 25 local authorities that were interested, replies Professor Stephen Ison, professor of Transport Policy at Loughborough University.

Prof Ison adds that you have to have a number of things in place before the policy can be looked at.

He says Nottingham had a stable council and a number of policy champions.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles asks why Nottingham City Council decide to implement the parking levy and why is it the only council to do so in 19 years.

Chris Carter explains Nottingham has been pursuing integrated transport policies for a number of years and incentives alone are not enough to influence behaviour change to tackle congestion.

Sticks are needed to encourage modal change, he adds.

The levy also provided a local contribution to the city's tram system and investment in buses Mr Carter says.

Tom Edwards
Transport Correspondent, BBC London

As budgets are squeezed, many councils are looking at other ways of raising revenue for transport schemes.

This week Tom Edwards went up to Nottingham to see their Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) which has been running since 2012 and it means companies have to pay for car parking spaces.

At the moment they pay £417 per space per year to the council if they have 11 or more.

Eight out of 10 companies pass that onto employees.

Image source, Getty Images

In Nottingham the council has used it to pay for a new tram, refurbish a station and introduce cycling schemes.

The council says congestion has not got any worse and air quality has improved plus it makes drivers consider other modes of transport.

In Nottingham, bus and tram use per head is the highest in the country outside London.

Some of the businesses Tom spoke to though were not happy at having to pay and said they were not getting any benefit from it.

Read more here.