Parking fees in Hamm: DUH demands drastic price increase!

Parking fees in Hamm: DUH demands drastic price increase!

in Hamm there is currently a lively discussion about the possible increases in parking fees. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) criticizes the currently low tariffs that are considered an incentive for environmentally harmful car trips. The city has around 3000 parking spaces, which are distributed in 13 parking lots, parking garages and underground garages as well as a similar number of roadside parking spaces. The current parking fees stipulate that the first half hour is free, while 1 euro per hour is due below. These tariffs contribute around 800,000 euros to the city treasury annually, with the operating costs of the parking ticket machines up to 70,000 euros per year. The personnel cost fee for parking space surveillance is not exactly quantified, but a study by the Heidelberg Institute indicates that these monitoring costs are the largest item under the expenditure.

A spokesman for the city, Tom Herberg, explained that the income from the parking fees does not necessarily have to cover the expenses. The stated goal of the city is to steer long -term parkers into the parking garages in order to keep the street space free for short parkers. The letters to the editor that have been received on this topic indicate that there is a lack of alternatives to the car in Hamm. In response to this criticism, the city has already started to advance the expansion of the bike paths and to lower the tariffs for bus and train. It was also announced that a 10-minute cycle should apply to certain bus lines.

comparison with other cities

An investigation by the DUH shows that in 73 out of 104 cities who are queried, parking is possible for 1 euro or less per hour. Only in Heidelberg and Osnabrück there is a minimum tariff of 3 euros per hour in all managed zones. The leader in terms of fees is Stuttgart, where 4.60 euros per hour are due in the city center, while neighboring areas only cost 1.10 euros.

In 27 cities, parking in managed zones is offered free of charge for a short time. The federal manager of the DUH, Jürgen Resch, emphasizes that cars stand up for more than 23 hours a day on average, but are often allowed to park for free. Parking fees are particularly deep in cities such as Koblenz and Frankfurt (Oder), where parking is possible from 25 cents per hour. In Chemnitz, Cottbus, Duisburg, Magdeburg, Neubrandenburg and Stralsund, parking often only costs 50 cents per hour. In contrast, drivers in metropolises such as London pay up to 10 euros per hour.

claims and perspectives

Deutsche Environmental Aid calls for an end to the free parking and a comprehensive parking space management. It suggests that the parking fees should be at least as high as the costs of a single ticket in public transport. The income from the parking fees could therefore effectively invest in the expansion of bus, rail, bike and sidewalks.

As the debate in Hamm shows, questions about parking fees and mobility are not only locally, but also part of a larger social discourse. The strongly increasing awareness of environmental and climate issues could help to set the course for a changed traffic policy in Germany, which better meets the needs of citizens and promotes more environmentally friendly alternatives.