In its budget proposal for 2022, Oslo City Council asks the government for powers to enforce parking charges on private land such as shopping centres and workplaces to try and cut emissions in the city. 

“The government must remove barriers that prevent emissions reductions in the big cities and strengthen the use of policy instruments beyond what is in the government’s climate plan, such as secure regulations that allow municipalities to demand that payment be made for private parking, for example at workplaces, in order to stimulate increased use of public transport, walking and cycling for business trips,” the proposal outlined.

The aim of the parking charges, which wouldn’t extend to peoples homes, is to try and increase the number of people using environmentally friendly methods of transportation. 

“The goal is to increase the number of trips on foot, by bicycle and by public transport at the expense of a car. Road traffic accounts for close to half of climate emissions in Oslo. The cars also take up a lot of valuable space,” city councillor for the Environment and Transport Sirin Hellvin told newspaper VG.

Hellvin insisted that the charges wouldn’t extend to peoples homes. 

“Private individuals must not pay to park on their own property,” she outlined. 

It is not yet clear what the new charges would cost, how the money would be collected and how the revenue would be spent because the city council has yet to receive the powers to implement the fees from the government. 

Parking in Oslo is currently divided into municipal and private areas with varying prices and time regulations depending on the zone. Parking in a yellow zone will cost 209 kroner per day, for example. You can read more about the rules on parking in the capital here. 

Cecille Lyngby, who campaigns against tolls and parking charges, slammed the proposals. 

“Resident parking and toll rates are increasing, at the same time as 5,000 parking spaces have been removed. The parking fees in Oslo are at a horrible level. This is anti-social and awkward,” she told VG.