Big political fireworks tonight: whether or not a referendum on paid parking

Frans de Goede and Wim Kleist, two opponents of paid parking and supported by a few political parties, are requesting a referendum this spring. With the referendum they want to let citizens help decide on this difficult issue. They feel supported by at least four hundred signatories of that application. Previously, a petition against paid parking had already been signed almost eight thousand times.

Paid parking in eleven additional neighborhoods

On March 30, the city council approved the plan to introduce regulated parking in eleven residential areas: permits and paid parking for visitors with a maximum number of minutes. It should relieve parking pressure and, according to the municipality, is necessary because ten thousand homes are being added in the city.

In the same municipal meeting, the request for the referendum was immediately resolutely rejected by, among others, the coalition parties PvdA, GroenLinks, D66, CDA and the Action Party. In their coalition program after the elections in 2022, the battle with the car is openly entered into. “Give my regards to the car,” sings the Haarlem rap formation Dos Hermanos at the presentation of that chord.

The War on Cars

Haarlem has had a battle against the car for almost 75 years, as can be read in this previously published article. In the 1970s, the first parking garage was constructed on Damstraat and the shopping streets around the Grote Markt were transformed into an exclusive bicycle and pedestrian area.

The first parking vignette for residents of the Heilanden de De Kamp neighborhoods was introduced in 1975. The then councilor did not want to implement this permit in other neighborhoods for fear of the waterbed effect. But that permit area is expanding into a circle of neighborhoods around the old city center.

Referendum, petitions and objections

In 2015, a ‘greener’ municipal council felt compelled to take even more measures. A referendum will be held on a package of 19 measures. The disappearance of the paper visitor disk for a digital system with a limited number of hours and parking meters for other visitors causes a lot of unrest. But the outcome is due to a low turnout in that referendum invalid.

One of the measures, the so-called ‘flash parking’, is still being adjusted. Instead of one hour, guests are allowed to park for three hours in the permit zones. Otherwise, entrepreneurs, pub owners, but also physiotherapists and football clubs fear major problems.

Parking space is scarce

Although this is a small victory for the objectors, it also raises complaints from residents. They are afraid that the increasingly scarce parking spaces will be occupied by visitors. Especially if in other parts of the city, such as Meerwijk, there is a trend towards redevelopment fewer parking spaces come back because they make way for greenery, as can be seen in another video report.

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Bat in the hen house

After the elections and a new municipal council, parking pressure will become the focus for a tightened parking policy. Four months after the coalition agreement, the municipality has thrown in the towel.

This is announced via a press release ‘regulated parking’ in eleven neighborhoods is being introduced: a permit system with the option of paid parking for visitors. Despite the promise of the previous municipal council that it will be monitored at all times whether residents themselves experience parking pressure.

From that moment on, the bomb seems to have exploded: almost eight thousand residents signed in a few weeks a petition, 1,200 objections are submitted to the plan and the opposition parties are sharpening their knives. It is striking that both are responsible councilors Bas van Leeuwen and Robbert Berkhout choose not to hold information meetings and therefore not to engage in public discussions with local residents. Two camps arise, in and outside the city hall.

Fought hard

The original initiator of the petition throws in the towel after six months, fought hard. At consultation events at city hall, even a proponent of paid parking is surprised by the lack of explanation, as she can see in the video report below.

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The failure of an earlier referendum on parking policy does not prevent a growing group of Haarlem residents from choosing this option again. It is the only weapon they have in their hands. The fact that the majority in the municipal council rejects this referendum request is something to swallow. But the rebellious citizens achieve a serious victory before the summer holidays.

Tap the fingers

The judge decides that the arguments for rejecting the referendum are not compelling enough. The municipality’s objection committee itself also believes that the referendum should be held. Exactly that is on the table tonight in City Hall during a special committee meeting.

What do politicians think about the objections? Will another rabbit come out of the hat to push the referendum aside after all? And are there any doubting politicians who have listened to the eleven districts?

Later this month a final decision will be made on whether or not to go ahead with the referendum. If that is held, Haarlem residents can let us know for the last time what they think about paid parking.