Resident parking in Berlin: CDU plans to increase fees tenfold!

Resident parking in Berlin: CDU plans to increase fees tenfold!

In Berlin, the discussion about parking fees for residents is entering the next round. The price for the parking permit is currently a mere 10.20 euros per year, but this amount could soon be increased significantly. CDU transport senator Ute Bonde is bringing a tenfold increase into play and is proposing a new price of between 80 and 120 euros per year. This is part of a larger concept that the coalition is preparing for parking space management and digitalization. RBB24 reports that the decision will be made next fall.

The debate about fees is not new. Under the previous red-red-green government, an increase to 120 euros per year was planned, but after the repeat election in February 2023 and the formation of a coalition with the CDU, the increase was much more moderate and was only supposed to rise to 60 euros. This drew different reactions within the coalition. SPD traffic expert Tino Schopf in particular was irritated and called for an increase to 160 euros to cover the administrative costs, as the current fees do not even cover the costs of issuing the vignette.

Parking fees in comparison

The practice of resident parking fees in Germany varies greatly. While Berlin is relatively low at 10.20 euros per year, Bonn charges the highest fees at a whopping 360 euros per year. Münster follows in second place with 260 euros and other cities with fees around 200 euros. Berlin could generate annual income of up to 76 million euros by increasing resident parking costs to 365 euros. taz highlights that there are currently around 210,000 resident parking permits in the capital, which looks ridiculously small compared to the revenue other cities receive from similar fees.

But the issue is not just financial. Traffic expert Johannes Kraft suggests abolishing the special regulations for craftsmen and similar professional groups, while the CDU is also bringing parking permits for commuters into play. The discussion about commuter vignettes is dismissed by Schopf as “client politics for drivers”. Mirror points out that compared to other European countries, prices in Berlin are still low, especially considering that similar parking permits can cost up to 1,309 euros per year in Stockholm.

The debate about parking fees makes it clear that Berlin still has many challenges to overcome when it comes to mobility and public transport. According to the plans, the additional income should flow into the expansion of footpaths and cycle paths as well as into local public transport. It remains to be seen how the political landscape and the basic fees for residential parking will develop and whether a good hand in decision-making will really be demonstrated.