• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday July 14 2026

New £1k parking at work levy plan moves forward

Bristol’s proposed workplace parking levy is back on the agenda, with the city council moving from early-stage development toward public consultation on a scheme that could charge employers up to £1,250 for parking spaces provided at work.

The plan is being positioned as a way to cut congestion and fund better transport options.

The Workplace Parking Levy operates through a permit-style licensing system, requiring employers to obtain licences for workplace parking spaces that fall within the scheme boundary.

Money generated through the levy cannot be used for general council spending and must be reinvested in transport improvements.

Charges could potentially range anywhere between £600 and £1,250 per space, per year.

The council approved up to £1 million in September 2024 to fund stage one development and an outline business case, paid for from Clean Air Zone revenue.

It is now in the discovery phase, with the outline business case running from April 2025 to April 2026, followed by public consultation and a full business case from May 2026 to December 2027.

If the scheme goes ahead, implementation would not start until 2028 at the earliest.

Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of Bristol City Council’s Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “A Workplace Parking Levy offers Bristol the opportunity to tackle some of the transport challenges that residents and businesses tell us about time and again – congestion, unreliable journeys and the need for a public transport that meets the needs of the city.

“The key principle behind these proposals is that any money raised would stay in Bristol and be reinvested directly back into the city’s transport system, providing vital funding to significantly improve how people travel around our city. That means better buses, better connections and better alternatives to driving. With around a third of residents driving to work most days, this is an approach being considered in many cities to offer significant new options and reliability for commuters and everyone that travels within Bristol.

“We’ve seen from Nottingham and other places considering similar schemes that a Workplace Parking Levy can be transformative to a city’s transport system, providing a stable, long-term funding source for improvements. Just as importantly, it can help reduce congestion and support cleaner, healthier ways of travelling.

“No decisions have been made yet. Should our committee agree to move forward, we will be seeking the views of residents, businesses and commuters about how a scheme could work in Bristol, what exemptions may be needed and where investment should be prioritised. This feedback will play a vital role in shaping any final proposals.”