Local MSP says at least 16,294 people living in North Lanarkshire could potentially be charged the SNP’s car parking tax. This would 20 per cent of all drivers living in North Lanarkshire.
Finance secretary Derek Mackay stated he wants councils to penalise those who take their car to work, after striking a controversial budget deal with the Greens. The SNP budget looks certain to pass after Green “co-convener” Patrick Harvie offered his traditional backing of the plans.
Graham Simpson said “Thanks to the SNP, Scots across the country are about to be hit by a car park tax bombshell. SNP-run Glasgow Council and Edinburgh Council, the two authorities which have so far said they may introduce the levy, a quarter of a million car work journeys face potentially being taxed - 255,381.
“My constituents of North Lanarkshire will be particularly badly hit and punished by the SNP tax. There are a total of 80,960 drivers who commute to work from North Lanarkshire, of these 14,703 drive to Glasgow for work and 1,591 to Edinburgh – a total of 16,294 people potentially being charged the car parking tax.
“That is a staggering 20 per cent of all drivers living in North Lanarkshire and this figure will increase if more councils chose to introduce this tax.
“Nicola Sturgeon claimed over the weekend that people who didn’t live in areas where this tax is to be imposed wouldn’t be affected. How out of touch can she be?
“These shocking figures show that even if only Glasgow and Edinburgh decide to go ahead and impose this levy, 20 per cent of drivers from North Lanarkshire, could be hit by the SNP’s car park tax. That is thousands of people doing the right thing, going to work, and being punished by the SNP for the effort. For everybody’s sakes, Nicola Sturgeon should listen for once and bin it now.”
