COUNCIL chiefs in North Somerset have said they have no intention of charging for workplace car parking – despite the fact their counterparts in Bristol are considering introducing such a scheme.

Bristol City Council announced last month it is looking to introduce an annual "workplace levy" on companies that provide staff car parking spaces at their premises.

The move is intended to force more commuters out of their cars and onto their bikes or city buses.

The city council says it is "exploring the potential" of the scheme, which would be most likely to affect businesses in central Bristol.

The authority says it would pay for its own staff parking spaces if the tax was brought in, although no decision has yet been made about the level of any fee.

There had been fears that perhaps other cash-strapped councils would follow suit in a bid to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to help balance the books amid the Government's austerity cuts.

But North Somerset Council deputy leader Elfan Ap Rees said: "I think it unfair to impose additional taxes on business or commuters who, through no fault of their own, are penalised by the inadequate public transport infrastructure in the west of England area.

"We will however continue to encourage central government and operators to improve and invest in better public transport alternatives."

The council has several major employment sites awaiting development – mainly in the Weston-super-Mare area – where there are high levels of commuters driving into Bristol and beyond on a daily basis.

South Gloucestershire Council has also said it has no plans to introduce any parking levy.

Earlier this month Gloucestershire County Council ran an advertisement in the Evening Post to try and tempt businesses to relocate over the border less than 20 miles away, to avoid the possibility of charges.

Nottingham has already agreed to adopt the scheme in 2012, the first city in the country to do so.