As of: February 3, 2024, 10:02 a.m
By: Christoph Elzer
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Bigger, higher, wider: SUVs cause parking problems in German city centers.
© picture alliance/dpa |
Sina Schuldt
German city centers are narrow and cars are getting bigger and bigger.
A conflict that is now making a big city mayor think about drastic measures.
Hanover – Belit Onay (Greens), Mayor of Hanover, has spoken out in favor of higher parking fees for sports off-road vehicles (SUVs).
“The trend towards more and larger and heavier cars continues,” he explained to the
Tagesspiegel
and expressed his support for a staggered price structure for parking fees based on the length of the vehicle.
The discussion takes on greater significance in the context of an upcoming citizen's poll in Paris, which will take place on Sunday February 4th.
The French capital's population is being asked to vote on whether parking fees for SUVs in public parking spaces should be tripled.
If the proposal is approved, the cost of parking for an hour in the city center would rise to 18 euros, up from the previous six euros.
In the suburbs, parking fees would rise from four to twelve euros.
“Monster”, “megalomania” – environmental aid complains about SUVs
Onay emphasized the importance of the Paris referendum: “The referendum shows once again that the debate must be held about the limited public space and more appropriate pricing for parking.” A challenge that all large European cities are facing.
He is therefore looking forward to the outcome of the vote.
In Hanover, one hour of parking in the city center currently costs 2.60 euros.
SUV fees based on the Paris model would mean parking fees of just under eight euros per hour.
The Green mayor has not yet announced what price point Onay is specifically aiming for.
At the same time, the German Environmental Aid (DUH) recently called on all German cities to introduce higher parking fees for increasingly larger SUVs.
“These monster SUVs are increasingly blocking sidewalks and green spaces and endangering people who are walking or cycling.
The megalomania in SUVs must be stopped,” said DUH Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch.