A CHARGE on parking spaces owned by businesses across Oxford could be rolled out by 2019 under transport proposals due to be finalised next week.

As part of its Local Transport Plan for up to 2030, Oxfordshire County Council said it wants to press ahead with developing a workplace parking levy to help battle chronic congestion in the city.

The council has outlined a £1.2bn package of transport improvements in the plan, which it will use to lobby the Government for cash to pay for them.

And it argues the levy – which would charge firms for the number of parking spaces they own above a set threshold – could also generate millions to spend on major transport schemes.

But the proposal could put council leaders on a collision course with businesses, as some have claimed it would pile further costs on firms based in the city.

Oxfordshire Town Chamber Network director Keith Slater said a workplace parking levy would force businesses to choose between absorbing the extra costs or passing them on to employees.

He said: “This would be tantamount to increasing business rates for firms in the city.

“It is a big extra cost and could act as a disincentive to firms looking at whether they should base themselves there.”

The levy would be similar to that used in Nottingham, where businesses with 11 or more parking spaces are charged £375 per space each year, the county council said.

There the levy does not apply to customer parking spaces or emergency services and hospitals.

Graham Jones, spokesman for city business group ROX, added: “Businesses in Oxford already pay higher rates to be here and many are now moving out to the edge of the city or to rural areas where they are lower and there is better access.

“A workplace parking levy in Oxford just does not make sense if you want a viable city centre. Businesses need a more level playing field.”

A consultation on the county council’s transport plan took place earlier this year and a report to senior councillors said a levy had been “less controversial than expected”, after over 500 responses were received.

In its proposals, Oxfordshire County Council said: “We believe that a workplace parking levy would have significant benefits for the city, which will be critical to ensure growth is not limited by the constraints of traffic-related congestion “Whilst the [Oxford Transport Strategy] proposes the whole city is subject to the levy, the city centre could be charged at a premium rate and we will consider a pricing strategy depending on the levels of accessibility throughout the city.”

A report to senior cabinet councillors has now recommended more detailed proposals are brought forward, with another document adding that a 2019 start was “ambitious, but considered to be realistic”. The cabinet will be asked to approve the new Local Transport Plan, which includes the levy proposals, at a meeting on Tuesday.

Transport improvements in the plan also include schemes to boost links between science hubs in Bicester, Oxford and Didcot; build a new network of park and ride facilities outside Oxford’s ring road and create “rapid transit” bus services serving the busiest routes in the city.

There are also schemes to improve cycling provision as well as controversial proposals to build bus tunnels under the centre of the city at a cost of more than £500m.

County council leader Ian Hudspeth said details of the workplace parking levy had not been decided and would be the subject of further consultation.

He added: “We need to make sure people are on board with the idea and it may be that they do not see the benefits. But we need to consider it if we want an ambitious programme for Oxford.”