Fury as bankrupt council considers CHARGING drivers to use company’s free car parks

A BROKEN council is considering charging motorists to use the company’s free car parks.

The proposals would see staff facing bills of hundreds of pounds a year.

The workplace parking charge in Croydon, south London, would be imposed on businesses with 11 or more privately owned spaces.

Bosses would then choose whether to pay – or pass on the cost to staff.

The scheme aims to reduce the use of private vehicles and get more people to cycle or walk to work.

But Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Croydon should park this absurd policy.

“Bankrupt Croydon is struggling for cash through council tax hikes and now new charges for private companies.

“Instead of axing businesses, they should cut back on wasteful spending if they want to fix their finances.”

Croydon Council, which is set to go bankrupt for the third time in 2022 with debts of £1.6 billion, will spend the proceeds on improving public transport to increase options for commuters.

Other authorities said to be considering introducing WPL schemes include Leicester, Reading, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cambridge, Bristol and Oxford.

So far, Nottingham is the only city to do so, with an annual charge of £415 for a parking space per year.

The scheme has generated around £90m in the 12 years since it was launched – the money helping to build two tram line extensions.

Last year we revealed that Croydon council spent thousands on unnecessary CCTV cameras to catch drivers using rats near schools.

Equipment from an American supplier proved incompatible with British number plates.

Croydon Council said: “The council is not committed to paying the workplace parking charge and it is not included in our current parking policy.”