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The Scottish Conservative MSP’s comments were made after her party led a debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament calling for the levy to be scrapped.

The bid was unsuccessful, however, and the Scottish Government continued with its plans to allow local authorities to hit businesses with a levy for each parking space they offer. Businesses, in turn, can choose to pass the charge on to employees.

Already SNP-led councils in Glasgow and Edinburgh have indicated they will introduce the tax.

Ms White pointed out that concerns from the Scottish Retail Consortium, the Scottish Chamber of Commerce and the International Council of Police Representative Associations were all ignored by the SNP and their Green coalition partners.

There has also been no limit on how much councils can charge.

She said: “Any introduction of a workplace parking tax would be a hammer blow to hardworking people and businesses across Angus.

“This atrocious tax is not only hated but it is also unbelievably ill-timed. The SNP-Green coalition don’t seem to care that families in the north-east are already facing a cost-of-living crisis and businesses are still only just recovering from the pandemic.

“Councils have free rein to charge motorists what they like to park at work due to the SNP’s dismal failure to impose a limit on charges.”