Parking in a covered or underground garage is almost always charged per hour started rather than per minute.
This is a conscious choice, explains Peter Lamens, board member of the Belgian Parking Federation, in the podcast Man do not worry of the consumer program WinWin on Radio 2. Although minute billing seems fairer, in practice it causes a lot of confusion among parkers.
confusing
Some parking garages have experimented in the past with a system where parkers paid per minute. This seemed like a fair solution, but instead led to more complaints. A striking example of this is the large parking garage under the Ladeuzeplein in Leuven. There, the operator introduced a per-minute rate, which resulted in confusion among customers. Many people did not understand exactly how much they would ultimately have to pay. According to Lamens, this led to the return of a fixed hourly rate within a few months.
“People want clarity about what they are paying,” says Lamens. “If they see when they drive in that an hour costs four euros, for example, they know what to expect. With per-minute rates, you have to calculate constantly and that causes frustration.”
entrance fee
The price tag of a parking space is not determined just like that. Lamens explains that there are two types of parking garages: private companies and parking garages managed by a municipality or city.
In commercial car parks, where companies have invested in the construction and management themselves, the operators determine the rates. This often concerns garages in busy centres or shopping streets. For car parks owned by municipalities or cities, such as those on a market square or on the edge of a city, the prices are determined in consultation with the local government. This is usually done with the aim of keeping cars out of the streetscape by making underground parking more attractive.
Although prices are displayed transparently at the entrance of parking garages, the perception of fairness remains a point of discussion. Chaima Saysay, one of the presenters of Man do not worry, does not always find the system fair. “You pay for a full hour, even if you are only five minutes late. Why can't this be done per minute, like with a parking meter on the street?” she wonders.
Xavier Taveirne and Chaima Saysay share their consumer annoyances in the podcast 'Mens erger je niet'. They do this every week together with a well-known guest. They look for explanations and solutions and that's a 'WinWin'. Want to share your own annoyance? Mail to winwin@radio2.be.
According to Lamens, it is not only a question of clarity, but also of economic feasibility. “A parking company is a commercial enterprise. It has to make a profit, but it also has a lot of costs. Think of construction, maintenance of barriers and elevators, cleaning, electricity and insurance.” These costs are included in the rates.
A possible solution for more transparency could be a tariff system per quarter, as is applied in some countries. However, per started hour remains the standard in Belgium, because it is easier to communicate to customers. As soon as a motorist enters the parking lot, he implicitly agrees to the published tariffs.
Lamens emphasizes that it is important for operators to communicate rates clearly. “That is why the prices are always clearly visible at the entrance. People need to know what they are getting into before they park.”
future
The demand for more transparency in parking rates remains a topic of discussion, especially in urban areas where costs are often higher. Although minute parking seems fairer on paper, in practice it is not yet user-friendly enough. Lamens concludes by stating that the balance between simplicity and fairness is difficult to find, but that the hourly rate remains the most practical option for the time being.
