Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)

Edinburgh is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with a population of over half a million. From 2001 to 2021, Edinburgh’s population has grown by 10.2% or an estimated 48,530 people. The wider Edinburgh City Region has also grown by a further 42,470. According to the Edinburgh’s City Plan there will be by 2030, 37,000 new homes which could add over 75,000 people to Edinburgh’s population. As a main economic hub for the region and country, the city also welcomes many visitors for the purposes of learning, employment and leisure opportunities.

Future growth puts pressure on congestion, affecting journey times for residents and businesses. The cost of congestion and the associated impacts on health from poor air quality will continue to grow in future as more vehicles compete for limited road space.

For businesses the cost of congestion impacts business by extending journey times, later deliveries, and increasing worker time on the road rather than in productive work. Estimates on the cost of congestion from INRIX for Edinburgh in 2019 was reported as being worth 177 million. .

For residents and commuters congestion increases journey times, whether they travel by car or some modes of public transport and active travel. Congestion has an impact on air quality. Studies have linked small particles from road traffic to the cause of a variety of health effects including heart and lung disease, links to premature death, diabetes, dementia, mental health and birth outcomes.

The City of Edinburgh Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, setting an ambitious target for the city to become net zero by 2030 and to reduce car journey kilometres by 30% in the same period.

We want to make informed decisions about whether a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) could be an option to help the city achieve its aspirations, and address the future challenges.

We committed in our Local Transport Strategy, called the City Mobility Plan 2021-2030, to consult on the option of a WPL in Edinburgh.

We will be reporting the findings from this survey back to the Transport and Environment Committee in early 2024. The Committee will decide whether we proceed to the next stage of consideration.

Future development, if approved, could include to design the specific Edinburgh proposal for a WPL and how we will use the funds generated from the scheme to improve the transport options for workers in Edinburgh. A further impact assessment will be completed on that proposal or proposed options.

Any introduction of a WPL in Edinburgh is therefore potentially years away.

Before an Edinburgh WPL can be introduced, a further 12-week consultation will be required. Once findings are reported back to the Council Committee, a decision will be taken on whether to introduce a WPL in Edinburgh. From this decision date, there is a mandatory and minimum period of examination of eight-weeks.