Decision from Bonn City Council Big price hike for resident parking in Bonn

Bonn · People in Bonn who park on the street in the residential areas where they live will have to pay significantly more money for their resident parking permits starting in 2023. The first price hike is on March 1, 2023.

Resident off-street parking will become much more expensive. The political opposition criticized the move sharply.

Resident off-street parking will become much more expensive. The political opposition criticized the move sharply.

Foto: Meike Böschemeyer

The Bonn City Council passed a new fee schedule for residents' parking permits on Thursday with votes from the council coalition including the Green Party, SPD, Left Party and Volt. Right now, the fee is 30 euros for half a year. As of March 1, 2023, the fee will increase to 180 euros per year in the first step. In a second step, the administration will raise the fee to 360 euros annually from March 1, 2024. According to the city's calculations, this fee would then cover costs. For Bonn special ID card holders, who are eligible to apply if they do not exceed a set income, the Office for Social Affairs and Housing will cover 75 percent of the fees.

Issued identity cards retain their validity

"Area-wide parking management at reasonable prices is demonstrably an instrument for reducing the number of cars in cities and thus also an important component of the mobility turnaround and for climate protection in Bonn," said Mayor Katja Dörner, explaining the decision.

The additional revenue from the fees is to be earmarked for the mobility turnaround and climate protection. The city expects 750,000 euros in revenue in the first year, and two million euros from the second year.

The political opposition sharply criticized the fee schedule. The CDU and FDP felt that it was basically correct that the fees would have to rise, but such a fee increase was a disproportionate burden on citizens, especially at a time of rising living costs. The question also arose as to how many permit holders in streets with high parking demand would be able to get a parking space at all. The Bürger Bund Bonn had requested that the reduction for Bonn ID card holders be linked to proof that those concerned actually need the car to pursue their profession. Only the AfD supported this proposal.

The new fee schedule will take effect Jan. 1, 2023. Resident parking permits valid beyond Jan. 1, 2023, will remain unaffected by the increase for the duration of the permit that is still in effect, the city announced Friday. The new fees will not be payable until the resident parking permit is renewed, it said.

To avoid unequal treatment, residents' parking permits will be issued only with a validity of six months from Oct. 28 this year up to and including Feb. 28, 2023. The maximum validity period for residents' parking permits issued from March 1, 2023, to Feb. 29, 2024, would be limited to twelve months.

(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)

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