East Renfrewshire Council has been urged to rule out introducing the controversial workplace parking levy.

The new tax, proposed in a budget deal agreed between the SNP and Scottish Greens, would give councils across Scotland the power to introduce a charge on workplace car parking.

If introduced, it would see employers pay an annual fee to the council for every parking space they provide for workers.

Employers could then decide to pass on the cost to their staff.

Although environmental groups have welcomed the plan as a way to encourage people to use public transport and cut emissions, critics have condemned it for "taxing workers for turning up to work."

Now officials at the Unite trade union have written to council chiefs, calling on them to pledge not to bring in the controversial tax.

In a letter to East Renfrewshire Council, Unite's Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty described the levy as a "regressive" policy.

He also condemned a lack of consultation over the plan.

Mr Rafferty said: "The ability for councils to set a workplace levy through car parking spaces is a desperate attempt to absolve the government from the funding crisis they have presided over.

"If implemented, we would have the ludicrous situation where we would have local authorities taxing workers for turning up to work.

"We believe that the Scottish Government should be facilitating public ownership of the nation's buses and rail network, which would be a far better way to reduce car journeys through the provision of regular and affordable travel in Scotland."