Rotterdam parking fee and zone expansion

The city of Rotterdam is implementing significant increases to street parking rates and expanding paid parking zones. In the middle zone, hourly rates will rise from €3.20 to €5.00, while the highest zone will increase from €6.42 to €7.20. Resident parking permit costs are expected to remain unchanged at €9.50 per month.

Municipal officials, including Alderman Chantal Zeegers, have cited the high financial cost of offering free parking as a primary reason for these measures. Zeegers noted that providing one hour of free parking outside the city center could cost the municipality approximately €55 million annually, a figure projected to reach €105 million by 2030 if two hours were provided for free. The city also expressed concerns that free parking might increase traffic pressure in residential areas like Middelland and Rubroek.

The Rotterdam City Council has approved a plan to expand paid parking to nearly all neighborhoods, aiming to cover most outer districts by 2030, excluding areas such as Hoek van Holland, Pernis, Heijplaat, and Rozenburg. The rollout is scheduled to begin in Nesselande on December 1, with subsequent sectors added every two months.

This policy has faced intense political opposition. While the Socialist Party (SP) has campaigned for more affordable living and lower permit prices, the party Leefbaar Rotterdam attempted to trigger a referendum, collecting over 8,000 signatures; however, the council rejected this request by a narrow margin of seven votes. Additionally, five opposition parties filed a motion of no confidence against Alderman Zeegers, arguing the policy fails to protect the budgets of low-income households and local institutions.