The parking reform in Sofia was extremely necessary, Mayor Vasil Terziev told journalists in relation to the amendments to the Ordinance on Traffic Organisation on the territory of the Sofia Municipality, adopted by the Municipal Council on 13 November.
Asked whether the municipality could step back from its plans to expand the blue and green paid parking zones, the mayor replied that “one can always step back, but the question is whether one should.”
Terziev stressed that the planned reform was crucial to bringing order to neighbourhoods and ensuring additional funding for the system.
He underlined the importance of creating a clear mechanism to return collected parking revenues to the districts, where they can be invested in improving so-called “muddy spots,” building parking areas, and upgrading lighting. According to him, district mayors have already begun submitting proposals for projects they wish to implement locally.
What was envisaged as a parking reform is extremely necessary in order to have order in the neighbourhoods and additional funds in the system, Terziev stressed.
In his words, it is extremely important to have a clear mechanism for the funds to be returned to the neighbourhoods to be invested in the improvement of the so-called muddy spots, in parking lots and lighting. The Mayor reported that he is already receiving suggestions from the Ward Mayors as to what and how they would like to implement in their wards.
“I believe citizens will be able to see a positive difference. And the question of ‘Where does my money go?’ will finally receive an answer,” Terziev said.
The mayor added that, for him and his team, returning parking revenues to the districts is one of the most important elements of the reform, ensuring a direct link between the funds collected and visible investments on the ground.
Terziev noted that the priority is for residents to be able to find parking spaces more easily near their homes and to prevent cars being parked on green areas, allowing neighbourhoods to be refurbished.
Photo by BTA
He reminded that at present, revenue from paid parking zones is used to subsidise public transport.
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman has called on the municipality to review the newly adopted changes to the blue and green zones.
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