The Tallinn City Government recently adopted a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, which was discussed at the City Council meeting on Thursday. Among other things, the plan proposes a review of the current parking policy, but the discount for residents will remain.
“As people’s incomes have gradually increased, so has the number of personal cars over the decades. It’s clear that the parking rules currently in force in Tallinn need to be modernized, and the number of cars in the city needs to be reduced. However, we must be realistic: cars will not completely disappear from the city,” said Deputy Mayor Vladimir Svet.
“The current discount for residents in the paid parking zone is 10 euros per month. This is clearly a very small amount, which may change in the future. However, I assure you that the local resident parking discount will not disappear. If anyone should have priority in street parking, it’s primarily the local residents,” Svet added.
The Urban Mobility Plan proposes that parking be designed based on the specific characteristics of each area and the availability of different modes of transport. Parking infrastructure will be developed smartly and sustainably. The document aims to reduce daily personal car usage in parking planning and encourage people to use sustainable modes of transport, such as public transportation, bicycles, and walking.
“A modern street must accommodate pedestrians, public transport, cars, cyclists, and greenery. One possible solution could be the construction of parking garages which is only feasible in cooperation with the private sector. The city itself lacks the funds for this,” added Svet.
Tallinn plans to create short-term parking spots for public services where it is practical and possible. Such stopping and parking spots would be primarily for postal, courier, and taxi services, as well as for short-term rental vehicles. Creating stopping places will also help alleviate the problem of parking and stopping on sidewalks.
The implementation of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan is supported by the “Tallinn 2035” development strategy implementation plan and the city’s budgeting strategy, which are drawn up for four to five years. These form a complete package that sets target levels for the main indicators in the field, key activities and investments, and the financial resources needed for their implementation.
The Urban Mobility Plan is an important conceptual pillar and a principal document for Tallinn, providing clear guidelines for mobility-related objectives until 2035. The Mobility Plan supports the long-term goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
The draft submitted to the council can be viewed on Tallinn’s official website.
Source: tallinn.ee