Car parking charges for Tynwald members have still not been reintroduced almost four years since they were suspended during the first Covid lockdown.

Parking charges for public servants and Tynwald members in the government car park in Douglas were first introduced in April 2016.

The annual charge for a reserved space was initially £192.50 but increased to £770 in 2019-20, with a 25% reduction to £577.50 if there is no guarantee of a space being available.

Income from staff parking had risen from £40,744 in 2016-17, to £78,324 the following year and to £112,168 in 2018-19.

But in April 2020, the Department of Infrastructure suspended public sector car parking charges as a result of the pandemic lockdown and the number of staff working from home.

In April last year the then Infrastructure Minister Chris Thomas said that since the decision was made to suspend the charges, no instruction had been received to start charging politicians again on the previous basis.

But he said he had asked the department to draft a parking order for Tynwald members in the Government Offices car park which would need to be considered within the Tynwald management process.

Since then, however, Tynwald members have continued to park for free.

According to latest available figures, from May last year, 27 Tynwald members and three staff in the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald have registered for an unallocated space in the underground car park at Government Offices for which they would ordinarily have to pay £577.50 a year.

Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson told the Manx Independent: ‘I’ve written to the Infrastructure Minister asking what the timescale is to bring car park charges back.

‘I would think it would be relatively straight forward.’

Government employees can park for free if they are essential workers, volunteers, or staff at executive officer grade or below or who work predominantly unsocial hours.

Since May 2020 returning and newly-elected MHKs and MLCs have been given the option to complete a car parking form. The Tynwald Clerk’s Office then notifies the Department of Infrastructure of the names and car registration of all those who want to make or renew an application for a parking space.

A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure told iomtoday: ‘The policy “Allocation and Charging for Government Car Parking Spaces in Central Douglas” came into force in April 2016, following Tynwald approval.

‘With the majority of staff working from home during lockdown, it was agreed in early April 2020 to suspend the staff car parking charges.

‘The issue has recently been highlighted in Tynwald, and the matter is currently under consideration to decide where the policy best sits within government before a decision is then made on a re-introduction.’