German Cities Face Criticism Over Low Resident Parking Fees

The Deutsche Umwelthilfe calls for a minimum annual parking fee of €360, citing overcrowded urban spaces and the need for a mobility shift.

The Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has criticized low resident parking fees in many German cities, with some charging as little as €10.20 annually, such as in Berlin.
The DUH argues that low fees fail to reflect the true value of urban space and hinder efforts toward a mobility and environmental shift in cities.
A nationwide survey of 107 cities found that 66 municipalities charge €31 or less per year, while cities like Bonn have implemented higher fees of €360, which the DUH advocates as a minimum standard.
The organization highlights significant regional disparities in fees, with cities like Münster and Tübingen charging over €200 annually, while many cities in Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saarland maintain fees near the outdated €30 cap.
The DUH calls for federal states to grant municipalities more autonomy to set parking fees, emphasizing higher charges as a tool to promote public transport and reduce car dependency.