Horrified North Yorkshire businessmen warned today that the Government's anti-car crusade could hit both their employees and customers.

Business leaders fear the proposals to let local authorities tax company car parks and make motorists pay for journeys into cities and towns could damage commercial life.

Roland Harris, chief executive of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said that staff could face extra travelling expenses and businesses and professionals in city centres could find their clients going elsewhere.

Geoffrey Geddes, managing director of Maxiprint, Clifton Moor, York, warned that companies could pass the car space tax on to their customers in higher prices or cut back on staff. "It is going to be horrendous," he said. "I would have thought that here on Clifton Moor, everyone is going to have similar problems. Most of us rely on motor vehicles to get to work." Many of his staff work shifts and travel when there is no public transport. If £150 is charged per car space per annum, it would add £4,500 to his company's £12,500 business tax. Both men called for better public transport before any radical changes.

Economic specialists from the chamber are to meet shortly to draw up a plan of campaign which could include lobbying local councils and the Government at national and regional level, and working with other chambers of commerce.

"It is an urgent and serious matter, depending on the length of consultation period," said Mr Harris. Members were particularly concerned about taxing parking for people who need their car to travel in and out of the office several times a day.

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