Business group and MSP hit out at Glasgow congestion charge

Congestion charge sign <i>(Image: Getty)</i>
Congestion charge sign (Image: Getty)
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Plans for a future congestion charge on drivers coming into Glasgow have been criticised by business leaders and an MSP from outside the city.

The council is to press on with planning for a charge on drivers from outside, with city residents exempt.

It has met with opposition from Labour and now others have raised their concerns.


READ NEXT:Update on plan for congestion charge on motorists in Glasgow


The plan for a future congestion charge were raised in a council paper stating the council has considered a proposal on a workplace parking tax but has recommended to pursue it at the moment.

One of the groups opposed to a workplace parling levy was Glasgow Chamber of Commerce which has now stated its opposition to a congestion charge.

Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "We cannot support a city-wide congestion charge until public transport improvements have been made in line with the conclusions of the Connectivity Commission.

"We are very concerned about the possible displacement of business out of Glasgow. We believe the City Council needs support from the Scottish Government to deliver priority transport projects such as the Clyde Metro and the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership improvement plan."

The council said any charge could take years to be implemented.


READ NEXT:Opposition to plans for a Glasgow congestion charge on drivers revealed


Meanwhile, Monica Lennon, Labour MSP for Central Scotland has written to the council leader, Susan Aitken with concerns over people from outside Glasgow being charged and asking for it to be stopped.

She said: “I want to be clear that I fully recognise the importance of shifting from car dependency to more sustainable travel and transport.

“However, while our communities are underserved by public transport it is wrong to penalise them for the lack of choice available to them.

The MSP said: “If these plans go ahead, residents in South Lanarkshire and my constituents in the wider Central Scotland region could be forced to pay to visit Glasgow for work, family, or social reasons, including healthcare and education.

“Not only will this exacerbate inequalities, but it will also undermine public confidence in measures to protect our environment.”

She added: “Many of my constituents find it impossible to access the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital by public transport.”

A council spokesperson said: “We remain firmly committed to promoting sustainable transport throughout the city, and whilst we do not control the running or delivery of public transport, we will continue to work with partners on initiatives aimed at improving the city’s public transport infrastructure.

“Having fully explored Workplace Parking Licensing and illustrated what a potential scheme in Glasgow could look like, we have no plans to take this forward at this time.

“While it is clear that the exploration of any congestion charging scheme would likely take several years and would require detailed feasibility work to be progressed, the council will engage closely with the required national regulatory review as part of our ongoing work in this area.” 

 

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