In Calais, free parking to support trade
This policy, which aims to bring the city center to life or revive it, nevertheless has its detractors.
Calais, temple of the car? In any case, in this city of 75,000 inhabitants, nothing is done to discourage motorists. Parking is free in much of the city. Out of 50,000 parking spaces, only 415 are chargeable, most of them in the city center. And on the latter, the first quarter of an hour is free. Even the private car park adjacent to an urban shopping center offers its customers a free hour and a half.
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“We take advantage of it, Daniel and Liliane, retirees from Calais. We don’t even realize that it’s not like that in all cities. ” In Calais, the fines, rare, are not expensive either: 11 euros. Estimated shortfall for the city: from 200,000 to 250,000 euros per year.
But Natacha Bouchart, the LR mayor of Calais, assumes. Free parking, she had made a campaign argument during her first election as head of the city in 2008.
If you want to become a seaside town, parking must remain accessible, not expensive, and visitors must have a great experience.
Christophe Fagot, president of the Calais traders association
The main objective of this policy is clear: to bring