Parking fines may double in Paris

PARKING fines in Paris may soon more than double under plans being considered by authorities in the city.

It means motorists caught parking illegally could be slapped with a €36 fine instead of the current €17, Le Parisien reports. It also said that the city is planning to increase street parking charges by 50%.

Drivers currently pay between €1.20 and €3.60 per hour to park on the streets, the paper said. It calculated that the planned 50% increase would bring an additional €65million into coffers of a city that, according to Mayor Anne Hidalgo, needs to find €400million to balance its budget.

Only 15% of motorists buy a parking ticket, according to figures quoted by the mairie, which is why the city wants to double the cost of fines.

The plans, however, have angered drivers. Pierre Chasseray, of the 40 Million Motorists group said: “The reality is that City Hall is trying to make money on the backs of motorists.”

Drivers in Paris are among the worst for buying tickets. Only three million minutes were paid for in 2012, Le Parisien said.

They’re also the worst for paying their fines, the paper said, with only 13% settling their tickets within the legal timeframe.

Many motorists in Paris already feel aggrieved. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the number of speeding tickets issued jumped 20% after speed limits on the Périphérique were cut to 70kph.

Photo: Felix Rothuizen