IT has cost Nottingham businesses an average of £8,000 to implement the workplace parking levy, according to a survey.
The levy was introduced by Nottingham City Council in April. It costs businesses with more than 10 staff parking spaces £288 for each one – which can be paid for by firms or passed on to employees.
The cash pays for transport improvements like the tram extension and Nottingham railway station redevelopment.
Notts and Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce asked companies to list the impact of the levy. Last week the Post revealed the survey, which was still taking place, showed more than one in 10 businesses were considering leaving the city.
Now the survey has ended, more figures have emerged.
More than 100 businesses took part and more than half said they had incurred higher administration costs because of the levy. The costs ranged from £10 to £250,000, with the latter being spent on special machines and signs.
The chamber said it removed the large costs from the equation, before working out an average cost of £8,661.
John Dowson, head of policy at the chamber, said: "Some people may have put barriers in, others may have employed security guards or re-marked signs. Every business is different and has different issues, so we know it was going to be expensive for people to introduce systems and adapt to it.
"That money can't be invested in the business. It could be the difference between taking on an apprentice or not. Whether that's investing in training, equipment or a new premises, it's gone on something that's not productive or beneficial for the business."
Richard Hallam, of Advanex Europe Ltd in Glaisdale Drive, Bilborough, said they had passed the cost of the levy on to staff. He said it cost them about £3,000 to £4,000 in other costs.
"There's been more clerical work," he said.
"We had to mark out the car park. Every three months we have to alter the licence, take people off and put people on."
He said the cost was not of huge significance to the firm but added: "It's just annoying. We could have spent it elsewhere, but it doesn't break the bank.
"I think for the city it's industrial suicide. Who's going to come to Nottingham when you have to pay this levy when you can go to the shire or Derby and not pay it."
Adrian Wright, chief operating officer at Nottingham Textile Group, of Lenton, said he thought it had cost the company between £7,000 and £8,000 in staff time. He expects costs to be about £1,500 per year.
"It's taken up most of the director's time, to understand it, monitor it and make sure we do it properly."
Coun Jane Urquhart, the city council's portfolio holder for transportation, said: "Last week the British Chambers of Commerce said that infrastructure such as light rail is the type of investment that gives businesses confidence to invest.
"That's why in Nottingham we have made extending our tram network a top priority, along with redeveloping the railway station. Both are improvements that the local chamber of commerce have called for and without the WPL they wouldn't be happening.
"I believe that the chamber would be more concerned if we weren't able to deliver the extended tram network to Chilwell and Clifton, the redevelopment of Nottingham's railway station and the subsidy for buses linking some of the city's largest employers.
"These projects will bring new jobs and economic growth to the region, benefiting citizens and the business community.''
