After a storm of criticism, objections and a large list of signatures, the municipality of Hilversum decides to adjust their parking policy. At the beginning of this year, Hilversum parking rates in and around the center rose considerably. This rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. The municipality is now largely backtracking on this.
Hilversum had increased parking rates to discourage people from coming to the village and especially to the center with their car. If cars do come, they would rather be in the parking garage than on the street, that was the idea. But after a barrage of criticism the municipality is adapting some of these new rules.
On the move
For example, visitors of permit holders started paying considerably more as of January 1. Until recently this was 40 cents per hour, but it became 1.45 euros per hour in the ‘shell’ and 1.60 euros per hour in the center. This is being overhauled and from now on visitors will be allowed to pay per minute and not per hour.
The entrance time for the double rate (if you park for more than an hour, you pay double, ed.) will also be adjusted again. The first hour of parking in the center had to be paid 3.20 euros, in the shopping area this was 2.90 euros. Every hour of parking thereafter was charged an additional 6.40 euros and 5.80 euros per hour. The middle classes in particular were very concerned about this. This would be at the expense of the attractiveness of Hilversum for people from outside.
But this rule is also being revised again. The double rate applies after two hours of parking on Gijsbrecht and Emmastraat. On Havenstraat this applies after parking for three hours. In the center, the double rate continues to apply after one hour of parking.
Apologies
“I understand that residents and entrepreneurs have concerns. Some choices in parking policy have negative financial consequences. At the same time, the objective of keeping the neighborhood accessible and liveable, a widely supported wish of residents, requires some difficult choices,” says traffic councilor Bart Heller . “In some cases these are higher rates, while we consciously choose to keep the costs for the first resident’s permit low by keeping them the same or even reducing them as much as possible.”
The traffic councilor puts his hand deep in his own bosom. “We should have informed residents and entrepreneurs better and earlier about the choices and consequences. I apologize for that. We will still do this via the website and the Town Hall at home page.”