Meeting of the Parliament 27 November 2025
I thank my colleague Jackson Carlaw for bringing this important topic to the Parliament. This issue affects not only those in Glasgow but everyone outside of Glasgow, including those in my region of West Scotland. The Scottish National Party-run Glasgow City Council is looking to propose an at-city-boundary congestion charge and a toll on those using the Clyde tunnel, which would result in motorists from other local authority areas being charged each time they drive into the city.
People on the ground are not happy with that development. During the past month, I have knocked on thousands of doors in East Dunbartonshire, and have found that many residents are very concerned. Let us be clear about who the proposals would affect—those of us who are travelling into Glasgow for work or hospital appointments, or to check on elderly relatives, drop off kids at school, attend university or college or simply enjoy a day out.
Any charge for non-residents is seen as an unfair additional tax. Those who would be most acutely affected would be those on low incomes, shift workers, minimum-wage workers and the elderly who rely on their cars due to unreliable public transport. That is why I launched a petition calling on Glasgow City Council to ditch the proposal. It has received hundreds of signatures so far. Why is it that hard-working families and communities will be forced to pick up the bill for the SNP-run Glasgow City Council’s financial mismanagement?
We often hear about how important free flow and connectivity are for areas to allow social and economic growth. However, the proposal is nothing but a money-making scheme that will hinder connectivity. What comes next? If all councils start charging like this, why would anybody leave their area? Would we live in silos? Is that the sort of Scotland that the SNP is aiming for? The SNP likes to bang on about inclusion and integration, but now it risks creating divisions in Scotland. This is, yet again, another saga in its war against motorists. Like my colleague Jackson Carlaw, I hope that the cabinet secretary will use her powers to intervene and stop this ridiculous development.
However, it is not only individuals who are opposed to the plan—businesses are too. Local businesses are unhappy at the proposed congestion charge, and so are major wholesalers and cash-and-carry suppliers that are based in Glasgow, as any additional costs would be passed on to the customers. That puts local businesses at a disadvantage during an already difficult trading period.
Stuart Patrick of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said:
“We are very concerned about the possible displacement of businesses out of Glasgow”,
and called on the SNP Government to do more to improve transport links. Businesses are already suffering from the poor decisions that have been taken by the Scottish Government and the UK Labour Government, and the last thing that they need is more tax.
I do not see people paying every single time they drive into Glasgow. I highly doubt that the money that is raised from this terrible scheme will be enough to make up for the SNP-run Glasgow City Council’s financial mess, and those who lose out will be families, businesses and communities. I hope that, in closing, the cabinet secretary expresses her opposition to this outrageous proposal.
13:05