Criticism of Homburg: Free parking remains popular despite protests!

Criticism of Homburg: Free parking remains popular despite protests!

The discussion about parking fees in German cities is re -lit. According to a report of the Saarbrücker Zeitung remains free parking in Homburg and St. Ingbert Popular, although the German Environmental Aid (DUH) has violent criticism of the low fees. Managing Director Jürgen Resch demands that parking ticket fees per hour should correspond to the cost of a single trip by bus and train. This requirement takes place in the course of a broad query for the parking fee structure in 105 German cities.

Environmental aid has found that more than half of the cities allow parking for 1 euro per hour or less. In a total of 35 cities, the practice of the "Bun key" for free short -term parking is still offered. The cities that use this option include Bremen, Essen, Cologne and Stuttgart. Nevertheless, the situation is particularly noteworthy in Homburg and St. Ingbert, where the first hour of parking is even free.

The criticism of the parking fees

The DUH not only demands a general increase in parking fees, but also speaks for comprehensive parking space management. One suggestion is the introduction of digital parking control through special vehicles that enable the characteristics of the license plates. According to DuH, the income from the parking fees should flow into the expansion of public transport such as bus and train and to improve cycling and sidewalks.

A look at the fee structure shows that cities such as Heidelberg and Osnabrück consistently demand at least 3 euros per hour. In Darmstadt it is even 6 euros, while Stuttgart has 5.50 euros, but only in certain areas. In comparison, 21 cities allow parking for 50 cents or less, with Koblenz and Frankfurt (Oder) as extreme ends, where they can be parked from 25 cents.

international comparison

The debate also gains explosive in international comparisons. In Paris, for example, drivers have to pay up to 18 euros per hour for heavier SUVs. These decisions show that moderate parking fees in Germany not only violate the recommendation of environmental aid, but also appear disadvantageous in an international context. The DUH is convinced that an adaptation of the fee structure in Germany is urgently necessary to promote environmentally friendly traffic models and to improve air quality in the cities.

For further information on the current debates about parking space management, interested parties can be published by the Environmental Bundesamt