As of today, motorists would have to pay 6 euros to park their car at the Gasselterveld and ‘t Nije Hemelriek. Yet the barriers to the recreational lake remained wide open all day. Was the announcement for paid parking an April Fool’s Day joke?
No, not that again. “It is a technical problem,” says Linde Veldhoen of Staatsbosbeheer. “In the coming days it may therefore still be free parking. We hope to have the system in order as soon as possible.”
Money for cleaning up
According to Veldhoen, it is high time that parking was paid for. “It is very busy here, especially in the summer season. Then it is good to be able to steer something.”
The proceeds of the parking benefit the area around the Gasselterveld. “Waste in particular is a major problem during the busy period,” says Veldhoen. “The money we collect with this, we put into cleaning up this.”
‘relatively low amount’
When the parking system actually works, traffic controllers get to work to familiarize people and themselves with this. “Today the weather is not so nice and it will not be really busy”, predicts Veldhoen. “But when the weather is nicer, the traffic controllers will make sure everything is run smoothly.”
Staatsbosbeheer received mixed reactions to the measure for paid parking. “One finds it very unfortunate, but most understand it again.” According to Veldhoen, 6 euros is a relatively low amount to be allowed to park for a day. “But if it was free before, every euro is soon one too many.”
From April to September, car owners will now have to pay for their parking space. In the evening the barriers to the parking lot will remain closed.