Parking lot rip-off as a new business model? | MFG State Parliament Club Upper Austria, December 11, 2023

2023-12-11 13:39:11

Because the state of Upper Austria and the federal government are letting the communities down, families have to pay:

Is that fair? More and more communities and excursion destinations are collecting hefty parking fees. Even for remote hiking parking spaces that can only be reached by car, you are now asked to pay. 5 euros or more for parking – even if you only stay for an hour – are not uncommon. Arguments such as “traffic control measures” often seem to be just pretextual arguments due to the lack of travel alternatives, especially for families. Now Gmunden also wants to further increase and collect prices in this questionable “trend” – and charge for the Toscana parking lot, which is particularly popular with visitors and day trippers: “Despite record tax revenues, people and especially families are reaching ever deeper into their wallets . This is a worrying development,” says LABg. Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ club chairman . He calls on the state and federal government to make municipalities better off financially so that they do not have to impose such “additional taxes” in order to make ends meet.

Parking fees are developing like an epidemic parallel to the climate hysteria – hardly any excursion destination, a tourist attraction, a hiking area or “just” a picturesque village in Upper Austria can now get by without this extra tax. “The driver is and remains the nation’s milking cow,” said MFG club chairman Manuel Krautgartner in view of this widespread attack on people’s wallets. Because one thing is clear: Parking fees in places that are used for recreation do not primarily affect tourists – who, thank God, are finally coming back and ensuring a lot of detour profitability and sales in inns, gas stations and cultural institutions. “It is primarily families seeking relaxation who are burdened with this additional fee. Anyone who thinks that these are just proverbial ‘peanuts’ is seriously mistaken. In addition to the fuel costs, parking is now really expensive,” says Manuel Krautgartner.

„Many of these places are mainly popular family and excursion destinations for our compatriots, because they come by car because of their children and often have no other choice.“ –LAbg. Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ Klubobmann-

As early as 2022, the minimum tariff will be up to 10 euros

One of the frontrunners when it comes to fees is Hallstatt, where you pay 4 euros per hour for the parking space about one and a half kilometers from the center (the daily rate is a whopping 16 euros). Even at the Schlögener Schlinge, which is particularly popular with families and is difficult and time-consuming to reach by public transport, you will be asked to pay 5 euros per parking ticket.

Since this year, for example, you also have to pay in the Pesenbachtal – a daily rate of 6 euros (!) is due on weekends, even if you only stop for 30 minutes. If you pay with the app because you don’t have enough change, you even have to pay 6.90 euros. Hinterstoder and Vorderstoder – as well as Ebensee (parking lot at the remote Langbathsee) – also cash in heavily on drivers. In Gmunden, hikers and bathers who visit the east bank even have to pay a minimum tariff of 10 euros at the turnaround point. Even at the Klauser Stausee you have to pay for the parked car. Manuel Krautgartner: “Many of these places are mainly popular family and excursion destinations for our compatriots, because they come by car because of the children and often have no other choice.”

The situation is similar with the parking spaces for cable cars and mountain railways: for the Schafbergbahn, the daily parking fee is up to 10 euros, although you already pay 38.30 euros for the train ticket (ascent and descent). At the Katrin cable car you pay 5 euros for parking and at the Grünberg cable car it is 8 euros for a day ticket.

And now – again – to Gmunden: Although the city is already cashing in heavily on the eastern bank and in the city center, the Gmunden ÖVP now wants to monetize the parking lot at Toscana Park, at the lido and next to the “Beserlpark” from May 2024 and a Introduce charges – although you are already asked to pay heavily at the lido, for example, with an entrance fee of 6.90 euros.

„Whoever believes a family with two small children who come from the surrounding area to Gmundner
Toscana parking lot, would arrive by train, doesn’t know the realities of life:
In the future, our families will think twice about taking a trip to the
most beautiful spots in Upper Austria.“ –Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ Klubobmann-

One idea to relieve families would be to offer free parking for all family card holders at leisure destinations. This could be done quickly and unbureaucratically: “Simply place the Upper Austrian family card (or a copy) behind the windshield and you’re done,” says Manuel Krautgartner.

Quite apart from that, there would be no need for this attack on the wallets of families in Upper Austria if the state of Upper Austria and the federal government were to make the municipalities better financially: “In view of the record tax revenue, it is sad that so many municipalities are left financially in the lurch Parking fees have to try to fill their holes. According to Statistics Austria, payroll tax revenue alone rose by 5.2 percent to 32.4 billion euros in 2022, but hardly any of it goes to the municipalities.

Conclusion Manuel Krautgartner: “There was and is only one party that advocates for the families without any ifs and buts – and that is the MFG.