Transport group checks out Nottingham’s WPL

Campaign for Better Transport team marks success of workplace parking levy scheme

Sustainable transport campaign group Campaign for Better Transport visited Nottingham to see how the country’s only workplace parking levy (WPL) has changed how people travel around the city.

The campaign, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was among the organisations that helped pave the way for the launch the WPL.

Since its introduction in 2012, the WPL has directly raised over £90m and helped to lever in more than £1bn of inward investment in sustainable transport for the Nottingham.

An impact report shows how in its first ten years the WPL has played a part in constraining congestion growth by 47%, saving the city £15m per year, and contributed towards improved air quality and Nottingham’s ambition to become the first carbon neutral UK city by 2028.

The WPL has directly or indirectly contributed towards:

A £60m redevelopment of Nottingham Station incorporating trams, trains, buses, taxis and e-scooters

The £570m investment in the Nottingham Express Transit tram network to extend south and west to Clifton and Beeston

An investment of £120m in low and zero-emission buses

Lowering carbon emissions by 58% since 2005 and improving air quality, meaning Nottingham has avoided a government-imposed clean air zone while cities like Birmingham, Bath and Sheffield have had to start charging drivers.

Michael Solomon Williams, campaigns, said: “We were delighted to visit Nottingham, which is setting an example for integrated local transport of which it should be very proud.

“Having advised the council team on implementation of the workplace parking levy, it is fantastic to see that this progressive approach to public transport funding has proven to be such an outstanding success, enabling

Newham writes off £7.2m in debts

An east London borough has written off more than £7.2m in parking debt.

Civil enforcement agents working for Newham Council have been unable to trace persistent evaders and drivers no longer living at their addresses, a meeting of the council’s cabinet was told.

The uncollected debt has built up over several years. The council previously wrote off a total of £55.64m in parking debt between 2014-15 and 2021-22.

Deputy mayor James Asser said: “Over two years we have written off various sums. It had built up over a large number of years. It was structured in a way that existing debt was irrecoverable and was not just kept up in the books.”

Cllr Asser is also the cabinet member for environment and sustainable transport. He said the Labour-run council started writing off parking debt as part of a plan to improve how it manages the fines. funds to be directed straight back into public transport provision.

During the meeting, an officer told cabinet members that one of the biggest problems with irrecoverable parking debts were due to the people no longer living at their given address and others who cannot be traced.

“It is significant that businesses are now flocking to Nottingham because of the transport network, and this should give the Treasury pause for thought. Nottingham can also boast contactless multimodal ticketing, the only hospital in the country with its own tram stop, transformative plans for the city centre with the Broad Marsh development connecting to trains and trams at the station, and award-winning bus drivers.

“We were delighted to meet National Bus Driver of the Year, Jonathan Smallman, an example to all aspiring bus drivers and a superb representative of a truly trail-blazing city.”

Cllr Audra Wynter, Nottingham’s portfolio holder for highways, transport and parks, Councillor Audra Wynter, said: “Nottingham is a worldrenowned leader in excellent public transport – a city where it’s easy to get around in a green, affordable and sustainable way.”