Date 5 September 2019 entered into force Act dated 5 July 2018 amending the Public-Private Partnership Act and some other laws which have amended the Public Roads Act in so far as the maximum parking fees are concerned. In addition to raising the maximum rates for parking, the law introduces a novelty – the possibility of establishing a paid parking area in the city.
A city with a population above 100,000 residents, alongside the already existing pay-parking zones, will be able to establish an additional intra-urban paid-parking area once the requirements of the new regulation are met.
Midtown paid parking zones – procedure and requirements
In order to introduce the urban area of paid parking, there is a need for two conditions.
First, there must be circumstances justifying the establishment of a normal paid parking area, i.e. for example, a significant parking space deficit, if justified by the need to organise traffic, in order to increase the rotation of parking vehicles.
Where the circumstances referred to above exist and the establishment of a paid parking area in the assessment of local authorities may not be sufficient to implement local transport policy or environmental policy, it is possible to establish a paid parking area in the city.
The city council or city council, in areas of intensive construction of a functional city centre, establishes a paid parking zone. The downtown under the law is the actual city centre or district in the city, with a population above 100,000 residents.
The establishment of the intra-urban paid parking area also combines with local government obligations, as it requires a prior analysis by the mayor (Mayor, city president) to determine the rotation of parking vehicles in the planned downtown paid parking area and the assumed level of rotation of parking vehicles in the zone.
The analysis should also take into account the different levels of parking charges in this zone.
New rates – rates will depend on the minimum wage
To date, the maximum amount of the levy has been set at the amounts. With the amendment, the fixed amount will replace the new mechanism. The amount of the fees and the additional fee was subject to the applicable minimum remuneration.
The municipal council or city council, setting the area of paid parking or the intra-urban area of paid parking, determines the rate of charge, but the fee for first the stop time of the vehicle must not exceed:
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- in the area of paid parking – 3.37 PLN or 0.15% minimum remuneration,
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- in the urban area of paid parking – 10.12 PLN, or 0.45% minimum remuneration.
On the other hand, the additional fee to be charged in the event of a failure to pay a stop fee (not commonly referred to as a ‘mandate’), has been limited by a maximum amount of 50 PLN, She won't be able to cross 10% minimum wage (225 PLN In 2019).
Increase in fees on the horizon
With the announced increase in minimum wage to the amount 2,600 PLN year 2020, maximum rates of fees first the hour of the stop will increase according to 3.9 PLN for paid parking area and to 11.7 PLN for the downtown area of paid parking. Additionally, for the lack of a parking ticket we will pay not maximum 225 PLN a 260 PLN.
Therefore, there is no doubt that when using parking spaces in the areas of paid parking and in the designed urban areas for motorised road users, there will soon be nothing but to reach deeper into the wallet.
Author: Michał Skwarek - Council applicant in the legal department Russell Bedford Poland. Graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw.