Many cars, too few parking spaces: Munich's city center with the Isarvorstadt (front) on the river of the same name. © IMAGO / imagebroker
Isarvorstadt, Maxvorstadt, Schwabing: In Munich's city centre, there is a struggle for car parking spaces. An opposition politician has a proposal – and he explains the possible financing.
Munich – Where can I find a parking space as a driver in downtown Munich without having to drive around the block umpteen times? Car owners between Schwabing, Maxvorstadt, Neuhausen, Isarvorstadt and Haidhausen presumably ask themselves this question countless times.
Car parking spaces in Munich: ÖDP proposes more underground car parks
As of December 31, 2021, 736,348 cars were registered in the Bavarian capital, according to the latest surveys by the authorities. If the shortage of parking spaces were not already great, at least 1300 parking spaces will be displaced in front of restaurants in the nightlife districts between spring and autumn. This figure is given by the district administration department (KVR). This causes trouble. What to do?
The ÖDP state chairman for Bavaria has now suggested the construction of a number of underground car parks in the city centre. "Every apartment that does not have its own parking space has to pay taxes. There is a lot of money in this pot. Money to deepen the parking spaces," said Tobias Ruff Merkur.de: "On the Altstadtring, for example, we have set up an underground car park under the ring." Which was worth it.
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In this case, this refers to the large underground car park under the Thomas-Wimmer-Ring, also known as the "Hofbräuhaus multi-storey car park" because of its proximity to the "Platzl". Since spring 2021, there have been a total of 520 new parking spaces there, but these are subject to a fee. And motorists are competing with the same parking facilities for e-bikes. What's more, it took around eight years from planning to completion. A manageable compromise?
Car parking spaces in Munich: 400,000 commuters flock to the Isar metropolis
"I don't have an outside perspective in urban politics. Urban policy always looks from the inside. In the Isarvorstadt you can move by bike or on foot. But we have 400,000 commuters into the city a day coming in from outside. A lot of it takes place by car," said Ruff about the flow of commuters to the Isar metropolis: "We have to somehow ensure that these 400,000 commuters don't all have to come in by car. The 49-euro ticket is a big step. Now the supply has to grow."
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We have to somehow make sure that these 400,000 commuters don't all have to come in by car.
Tobias Ruff, ÖDP state chairman in Bavaria
The equation of the ÖDP politician: First expand the public transport network in order to relieve the burden. Then consider more underground parking. Then it would also be easier to think about car-free zones, he says about the approach of a car-free city center, which the Greens have been propagating for years. But hardly any progress. "Sendlinger Straße is a great success. The valley will come, the Maximiliansstraße probably. Then we can also look at the districts and say: 'More bicycle parking spaces here'," said Ruff and once again promoted public transport: "We have to look at which traffic saves the most space. A railway track, for example for the U-Bahn or the S-Bahn, can replace up to eight car lanes. A car may just stand there and block, for example a bike lane. We can achieve a lot with car sharing."
Second trunk line and public transport in Munich: ÖDP criticizes CSU state government
However, because the expansion of public transport is progressing slowly, the ÖDP state chairman criticized the state government of Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU). "The second trunk line will come maybe in 20 years. And maybe that's optimistic, too. You could have strengthened the outer branches for much less money," he said with a view to the MVV: "Where we are now single-track. With a second track, I can run a completely different cycle. I would need a north and south ring as relief routes. The main line is constantly closed due to signal box malfunctions or walkers on the track."
ÖDP politicians in an interview with Ippen Media: Manuel Ripa, Member of the European Parliament, and Tobias Ruff, State Chairman in Bavaria. © Pm
Car-free Munich? Clear focus on cyclists? FDP politician Susanne Seehofer recently clearly rejected such thought experiments. "You can't pit people against each other, the bad cyclists or the bad drivers. I believe that both must be possible," said the daughter of former Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU) in an interview with tz.de and Merkur.de of Ippen Media: "We can't take mobility away from the thousands of commuters, craftsmen and suppliers in the city center. The culture war against the car is the wrong way to go."
More use of underground car parks in Munich's city centre? FDP politician is also in favour
Seehofer also made a proposal for an underground car park – with a view of the Glockenbachviertel. "Some FDP city councillors and I recently spoke about the Edeka in Ickstattstraße. It has a huge underground parking garage," said the Liberal state parliament candidate: "Why doesn't anyone make it possible for residents to park there?" (pm)