Bristol City Council in workplace parking levy plan row

More than 1,000 firms have taken part in a survey by Bristol City Council over its workplace parking levy but 17 boycotted the project.

The council believes the levy could raise about £27m to help fund three major transport projects.

But the Federation of Small Busineses claims council assets should be sold to raise the money and it fears the levy will harm the local economy.

A spokesman said the authority could get "addicted to this tax".

'Impossible to change'

The survey involved asking firms how many parking spaces were available to staff, so the council could better estimate how much money could be raised.

Guy Kingston, from the Bristol branch of the FSB said: "It would be £1 a day now, but the council would get addicted to this tax.

"The scheme would be expanded to cover an ever greater area, and once these bendy buses start running and start losing money, the council would up the rate from £1 to £2 to £5 to subsidise these ridiculous buses."

Bristol City Council has said the scheme would cost businesses £1 per parking space per day.

Councillor Tim Kent, who is responsible for transport, said the charge would be fixed at £1 and the parking levy agreement could be drawn up so "it would be impossible to change".