From
Julian Raff
If the weather is only halfway inviting for a visit to the zoo, the Hellabrunn Osterstau should once again extend as far as Harlaching, Untergiesing and Thalkirchen. At least for quieter days, however, relaxation is in sight: A barrier-free parking system has been installed in the larger of the two visitor car parks in Siebenbrunn since March 30th, which enables smooth driving in and out via Siebenbrunner Straße and should reduce the notorious backlog.
Because the lane is so narrow and has a tight curve, there is hardly any room for long turning lanes, so visitors to the zoo have blocked through traffic even if the car park was not yet full. The new concept from a Munich-based manufacturer is mainly based on recognition software that scans car license plates when driving in and out and thus calculates the parking time. The parking fee remains unchanged at a maximum of six euros for 24 hours. Payment is made either via the “Easy Park” smartphone app or traditionally with a card or coins at the machine.
Paper tickets or plastic coins and the corresponding waste are no longer necessary. Data protection is guaranteed, as the zoo management assures. The system does not record who or how many people are in the car. The scans can only be viewed by the operator and are automatically deleted after leaving the parking lot. Such a temporary recording of license plates is covered by Article 6 of the General Data Protection Regulation. The parking system should alleviate the problem, but not solve it: a traffic study in 2015 showed that a good two-thirds of Munich zoo fans travel by public transport or by bicycle.
However, the zoo enjoys continued popularity with day trippers from all over southern Germany and Austria, who are still not likely to switch to public transport shortly before their destination. Local politicians have been discussing various proposed solutions for years. So far, a parking license area has been realized in Schönstrasse. The city and Tierpark AG reject a combination ticket for Tierpark and MVG because of the costs. Also for financial reasons, the project of a multi-storey car park in Siebenbrunn initiated by the zoo is on hold until further notice – and with it the controversy about nature conservation on the Isarhang.