Change of program for Parisians owning an electric or hybrid SUV type vehicle. They will finally have to pay a residential parking rate from October 1, a provision not provided for in the town hall project submitted to a vote at the beginning of February. “Owners of electric SUVs which were free will have to pay a resident rate to park near their home,” announced David Belliard, EELV deputy for mobility, Thursday during a press point ahead of the next Paris council which opens on Tuesday.
This measure was not provided for in the town hall’s project, submitted to the vote, creating specific parking rates for so-called heavy vehicles, originally only those of visitors. But the town hall led by socialist Anne Hidalgo made “adjustments during the debate,” explained David Belliard. “We were told: ‘you don’t tax residents’. We will therefore ask them to pay a resident rate,” he explained. “Participatory democracy is being exploited,” criticized MoDem MP Maud Gatel, opponent of the left-wing majority.
The low-emission car resident subscription allows their Parisian holders to park free of charge for up to seven consecutive days in areas close to their home, or six consecutive hours throughout Paris. Instead, with a residential parking subscription, Parisians who own electric SUVs will have to pay lower rates than visitors, who will have to pay up to 18 euros per hour in the central districts.
The resident tariff soon imposed on owners of hybrid cars over 1.6 tonnes and electric cars over 2 tonnes will concern “very few people”, assured David Belliard. Hybrid and electric visitor vehicles weighing less than or equal to the same thresholds will remain free. Likewise, “all rates applied until now to professionals will remain unchanged, whatever the weight of their vehicle,” indicates Anne Hidalgo in the explanatory memorandum.
The vote, which saw the “for” win by 54.55%, mobilized 5.68% of Parisian voters, or around 78,000 people out of 1.3 million registered, at a cost of 400,000 euros.
