Parking fees to increase in Budapest
On Wednesday, the Municipality of Budapest decided to raise parking fees in several zones, starting from August 1. In addition, parking zones may expand in Zugló and in Districts 12 and 13.
The General Assembly of Budapest decided to amend the parking decree on Wednesday afternoon. Accordingly, parking tariffs will become more expensive in some zones of Districts 2, 12, 13, and 14, Index wrote.
Based on the standard hourly parking tariffs, five zones can be distinguished in the capital: zone 5 − parking fee for 1 hour is 175 forints (EUR 0.5), zone 4 – 265 forints (EUR 0.75), zone 3 – 350 forints (EUR 1), zone 2 – 440 forints (EUR 1.25), and zone 1 – 525 forints (EUR 1.5). These prices also depend on different factors, like the number of people who want to park in the given parking zone.
Parking fees are the highest in District 5, and hourly tariffs become lower as we move towards the outer districts.
According to this system, parking fees can be increased in each zone without raising the tariffs determined by the decree, since only the zone’s rating changes.
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, parking was free on public premises in Hungary from April, but the government has recently lifted this measure, and from July 1, fees will be reintroduced everywhere. The increase in parking fees will come into effect on August 1.
The proposal claims that this trend started in 2018 when the zone rating of the entire District 5 changed and became the one that has the highest possible hourly parking tariff. As a consequence of this decision, the cheaper zones of neighbouring districts, mainly District 12, had to face increased demand for parking.
Therefore, the rating of each area is expected to become one or two levels higher.
The area of Újlipótváros (District 13), from Nagykörút (Grand Boulevard) to Dráva Street, will become the zone with the highest parking tariff. In addition, the northern border of the parking zone will be extended: instead of the railway line, the district border on Dugonics Street and Madrid Road will become the new border.
From the beginning of August, people will have to pay for parking in the area located from Diós Ditch and Kútvölgyi Road to Józsa Béla Alley and Alsó-Svábhegyi Road (near János Hospital), and a uniform fee of 440 forints will be introduced in every zone in District 12.
In District 2, the rating of the area between Margaret Bridge and Szépvölgyi Road will change from zone 5 (175 forints/hour) to zone 3 (350 forints/hour). In addition, the previous unlimited parking time will be replaced by a maximum of 3 hours of parking in the area of Marczibányi Square.
In Zugló, tariffs will change from 175 forints/hour to 265 forints/hour in the zone between Mexikói Road and King Nagy Lajos Road. The borders of the zone will be extended to include the areas around Örs Vezér Square.
Within the framework of a comprehensive review, several issues related to the parking system will be examined, such as the question of the border areas regarding their tariffs and the introduction of a progressive waiting fee based on the duration of the waiting period. Currently, Nemzeti Mobilfizetési Zrt. acts as an integrator between parking and mobile operators. The Municipality of Budapest will examine the possibility of other mobile payment options and the development of parking control software, which may be more cost-effective. It was also suggested that a residential waiting permit should only be issued if the resident does not have local tax debt.
Source: index.hu