Following orders by the government to find new ways of raising money, councils across the country are planning to introduce workplace parking levies.

Initially, the new fees were seen as a way to tackle congestion, but it is clear it is also being seen as a source of extra cash. Motoring organisations and business leaders are up in arms about the plans, which have been called a 'war on motorists.'

Many of the 10 million people who drive to work every day in the UK live in rural areas where public transport to work is not an option.

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, expressed concern that so many councils were considering levies.

He said, "Councils have had the power to impose workplace parking levies for a decade now.

"The power was given to deal with congestion, not to raise general revenue. There will be a lot of raised eyebrows amongst the nation's 34 million motorists that now, after ten years when no local authority introduced the scheme, so many are considering introducing the levy in the middle of a financial crisis,” he added.

Among the councils considering the scheme are Bristol, York, Devon and Hampshire. The first council to impose the £250 levy on local employers will be Nottingham City Council, in 2012. Within two years, the bill will rise to £350 and will target all companies with 11 or more parking spaces.

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