Volt in Frankfurt Pushes for an Imminent Reform
Since 2020, municipalities have had the legal option to determine the amount of fees for resident parking themselves. While other German cities like Hamburg, Freiburg, or Karlsruhe have already made swift use of this new option, the implementation of the increase planned by the Mobility Department is taking too long in Frankfurt. Martin Huber, the mobility policy spokesperson and faction leader of Volt in Frankfurt, demands: “The announced adjustment of fees for resident parking should not be stuck at the magistrate level any longer, as the city is also missing out on considerable revenue.”
An increase has also been implemented in Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, and Offenbach. Huber also refers to international comparisons and emphasizes: “We should orient ourselves towards European cities that are already several steps ahead of us in terms of mobility. Especially in cities like Copenhagen, Vienna, or Amsterdam, which are known for their good traffic systems, the costs for resident parking have long been in the significantly three-digit range [158 €, 120 €, 535 €]. These cities demonstrate that there is a close relationship between parking space management and people’s mobility behavior. Where it costs more to own a car, people are more likely to walk, cycle or use public transport. Ultimately, this also leads to cars not being parked in public spaces, but rather in designated garages and private parking facilities.”
Frankfurt is already doing a lot for the mobility transition under the current Römer coalition. Mostly, pull factors are being addressed, for example in the form of better and more expanded cycling infrastructure. Volt in Frankfurt is convinced that push factors, such as raising resident parking fees, must also be addressed. The recently published Masterplan Mobility also mentions the further development of resident parking as an important measure, with the addition of examining the practicability of a staggered system based on vehicle classes, height, and weight of the vehicles. “We can imagine a staggered system in the medium term, but it is important that the general adjustment is implemented as soon as possible. Over a year ago, we started to address this issue politically in the city government. My primary concern is that Frankfurt should urgently say goodbye to the absurdly low costs of 25 euros per year for a resident parking space”, explains Huber.
In view of the many negative aspects that motorized individual traffic brings to cities for the majority of the urban society and not least due to the pressing challenges in the wake of the climate crisis, the city government must take action faster, especially when it comes to implementing such simple measures.
