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Higher parking fees for large and heavy cars? There are German municipalities where this already applies – at least when it comes to resident parking. Others are considering such steps. But the legal hurdles are high.
The referendum in the French capital Paris on higher parking fees for SUVs has also sparked a debate in Germany. While some cities such as Hanover are considering higher parking fees for SUVs and the city of Koblenz is planning an increase for larger cars, the city of Tübingen has long since established facts – at least when it comes to resident parking.
As early as September 2021, the Tübingen local council voted unanimously for higher parking fees. Since January 2022, staggered fees have applied for resident parking permits. In concrete terms, this means: instead of 30 euros, at least 120 euros are now due per year. And for vehicles with a combustion engine and an unladen weight of over 1,800 kilograms or for vehicles with a purely electric drive and an unladen weight of over 2,000 kilograms, the annual fee is 180 euros.
“None so far legal basis”
However, when it comes to ticket prices for visitor parking spaces, there is no difference between large and small vehicles in Tübingen. Because that, in turn, is not that easy to implement.
“An increase in parking fees for so-called SUVs is currently not planned in Tübingen as there is currently no legal basis for this,” said Mayor Boris Palmer. “Furthermore, it would be questionable how such a regulation can be implemented.” If there were two different parking tickets for smaller and larger cars, it would have to be clarified how inspectors could check the size of cars in everyday business.
Judgment with a signaling effect
The Freiburg case has already shown that implementing different parking fees is not easy. The city had increased resident parking fees, based on the length of the vehicle. Residents who receive certain social benefits or have a disability only had to pay reduced fees.
A citizen of Freiburg has had the new parking fee regulations examined by a court. In the end, the Federal Administrative Court decided: The regulation in Freiburg is ineffective.
Among other things, the graduated tariff violates the general principle of equality in Article 3 of the Basic Law. “The resulting sharp jumps in fees no longer adequately reflect the advantage that varies depending on the length of the vehicle. In extreme cases, a difference in length of 50 cm can lead to a doubling of the fee,” the court said in its reasons.
According to the court, there is also no legal basis for the reduction and waiver of fees for social reasons. The verdict had a signal effect.
Things are getting more expensive in Koblenz
The city of Koblenz wants to learn from the Freiburg case and says it has taken the Federal Administrative Court’s decision into account. There will be an increase in March. The fee for the respective resident parking permit in Koblenz is now calculated from a basic annual amount multiplied by the respective length and width of the vehicle in meters.
So it’s complex with parking fees. The discussion about how to deal with the size of the cars in the fees will continue.
More leeway required for cities
“Unfortunately, in German cities, the way to achieve this is not simply possible through a referendum like in Paris. That’s why we never tire of demanding that German cities have more freedom to make decisions in traffic,” says Helmut Dedy, general manager of the German Association of Cities. “It should be possible to clarify on site which streets are allowed to drive at how fast, how much parking costs and how traffic is directed. The traffic transition requires courageous decisions.”
At the same time, says Dedy, different local interests need to be negotiated with the people. The goal is a better quality of life for everyone.