Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Jamie Greene speaks to his colleague Dean Lockhart's amendments saying it would be unfair to penalise people making deliveries and business customers.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle intervenes to say Mr Greene is surely not suggesting that would happen.

Mr Greene calls for comfort from Mr Finnie that covers this issue.

We want to put on the face of the bill that business customers are absolutely excluded, says Mr Greene, to which SNP Stewart Stevenson says "nonsense", which the Tory MSP refutes.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman explains his amendment is simply to ensure a review takes place after a year, insisting that not putting this in place would be giving councils "far too much leeway".

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says a lack of assessment on parking displacement could have a substantial impact, though SNP MSP John Mason suggests councils already do this and questions why this should be on the face of the bill.

In-work poverty remains a serious problem and many people rely on their car to get to work, Ms McNeill says, so it is important to assess the impact of levels of poverty she argues.

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Committee convener Edward Mountain says given the length of time Mr Finnie has had to take we might not make this afternoon's Planning Bill consideration and calls for brevity from other MPS.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles says he is very disappointed with Mr Finnie's comments and says his amendment intends to avoid judicial reviews.

Mr Rumbles says we only have Mr Finnie's word that supermarket parking will be exempt.

He is amazed Mr Finnie does not accept his amendment 9C on public transport adequacy.

Speaking about Mike Rumbles's amendment to his amendment which calls for local authorities to ensure "there is an adequate level of public transport services", John Finnie questions what the definition of adequate would be.

He repeatedly questions why several amendments from members seek to limit the power of local authorities, urging his colleagues to trust councils.

In all, Mr Finnie is opposing all amendments to his amendment.

Image source, Google

Written submissions from those who provided oral evidence on the levy 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 vote and debate on these amendments relating to the proposed levy.

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

Mr Finnie repeatedly points out the levy would not affect people parking at supermarkets.

The Green MSP, speaking to other amendments in the group, asks why government bodies should be exempt from paying.

He also warns against an amendment which he says would incentivise companies not to give full-time contracts so they could avoid payments.

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Mr Finnie pivots to exemptions and highlights Nottingham, the only place in the UK where a workplace parking levy (WPL) has been introduced.

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.

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

Read more here.

Mr Finnie moves to the detail of his amendment.

The Green MSP points out there are strong duties on councils to consult on any scheme.

He says there will have to be an impact assessment, and ministers and local authorities will have the power to revoke workplace parking schemes.

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Green MSP John Finnie gets us underway speaking to amendments relating to the workplace parking levy, especially as he says much of the discussion around it has been ill-informed.

Given the climate change emergency we need as many levers as possible and this levy is one, Mr Finnie adds.

The Green MSP says this amendment is based on the principle of localism.

"This is a power, not a duty," he says.

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We now move to 63 amendments relating to the workplace parking levy.

The first group relates to the establishment and licencing of licencing schemes for workplace parking.

To follow proceedings you'll require:

• The Transport (Scotland) Bill, external
• The marshalled list of amendments, external
• The groupings of amendments, external

Image source, Getty Images

Local politicians will need to be "very brave" and have "vision" to introduce a workplace parking tax, MSPs have heard.

The Scottish government has pledged to support a Green proposal to give councils the power to levy a charge on parking spaces to reduce congestion.

Witnesses from Nottingham, the only council in the UK with a scheme of this sort, spoke positively of its impact.

But they told MSPs that it was "not easy", saying that "strong political leadership" was "absolutely essential".

• Will you have to pay to park at work?

Image source, BBC Scotland parking PQ

The controversial workplace parking levy will be voted on by the MSPs this morning.

Green MSP John Finnie lodged amendments to empower councils to charge employers for each car park space used by staff.

The cost could then be passed on to employees.

The Scottish government agreed to back the amendments as part of the budget deal with the Scottish Greens.

But Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem MSPs are opposed to it - and SNP MSP Richard Lyle, a member of the committee, has also expressed reservations.

Six of the 11 committee members are SNP or Green, meaning Mr Lyle's vote could be pivotal.

However, if the amendment is voted down at stage 2 there is nothing to prevent the amendment being laid again at stage 3, where the full chamber will vote.

MSPs consider amendments from the following groupings:

• Parking prohibitions penalty charges: application of penalty charges
• Parking prohibitions penalty charges: accessibility of information
• Parking prohibitions: guidance
• Parking prohibitions: minor and technical
• Parking on a cycle track

Image source, OTHER

To follow this in detail you'll need:

• The Transport (Scotland) Bill, external
• The marshalled list of amendments, external
• The groupings of amendments, external

The amendments relating to the workplace parking levy will be considered after 8.30am.

Image source, bbc

Mr Matheson begins talking to his amendments relating to parking prohibitions and enforcement.

The cabinet secretary says the Tory amendment from Jamie Greene is unnecessary and he calls on Mr Greene not move it, with a similar call for Labour's amendment to be withdrawn.

Colin Smyth does not heed that call, however Jamie Greene acquiesces to the minister's wishes.

Mr Matheson says the decision to decriminalise parking violations is down to individual councils.

His amendment is passed unanimously and then Section 48 is agreed to.

Image source, bbc

That didn't take long and after a brief suspension to allow Transport Secretary Michael Matheson to come in with his team, we begin looking at amendments relating to parking prohibitions.

To really enjoy this you'll need:

• The Transport (Scotland) Bill, external
• The marshalled list of amendments , external
• The groupings of amendments, external

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Edward Mountain runs us through the procedures for Stage 2 this morning, but if you've joined us at 8am I'm guessing you'll be familiar with them already.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

MSPs will begin by discussing :

• Marketing of Horticultural Produce and Bananas (EU Exit) (Scotland)(Amendment) Regulations 2019 , external
• Seed and Propagating Material (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) (No. 2)Regulations 2019, external
• Pesticides (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Image source, Reuters

The Rural Economy Committee and Connectivity Committee gets underway nice and early this morning as it continues to consider oodles of Stage 2 amendments to the Transport Bill, external.

This will be the third week (with one more week scheduled) that the committee is considering amendments.

The main focus today will be on amendments about the controversial ‘Workplace Parking Levy’, with a risk the policy may be rejected at this stage.

There have been a total number of 380 amendments to the Bill as a whole which include 63 to the workplace parking levy.

MSPs will start debating amendments after it has debated around 30 amendments on double parking so we expect the parking levy to be debate to begin from 08:30-08:45am.

Read the committee papers here., external