SUCCESS! Can't wait to see how the closing of the red light district and closing of coffee shops increase their money intake....they are just as wrong with that as they were with raising parking fees. WHO are these people that make these decisions?...they are absolutely incompetent. By raising the tram fares(like they have and then telling us to our face they have not) will experience the same drop in revenue....but that will be ok, cause the north-south line will make up the difference in 2025...when they finish.

By alanposting | October 12, 2009 9:38 AM

Gee another plan that backfired huh? Sounds like NL has a problem with planning! Another good example was the high airport tax at AMS to buy books for school children. Hmm how'd that pan out? LOL

By Laura | October 12, 2009 10:46 AM

The last time I parked in the city center was on the Gay Pride Parade day. It was EUR 5 per hour, not 4. The figure of 4 is for the outer zones of the old city.

Not having so much revenue is not that bad a story.

It might mean that people are preferring more than earlier to come by Public Transport, which is a good news. Or maybe, people are getting in and out quickly, parking for less, or taking their chances and not paying.

By ST | October 12, 2009 12:18 PM

Too many people in the gov have theory's in there head and think, it is workable in the real work. they need to forcus more on realality rather than Hyped theory that only cost time and not very Efficient!!!!!!

By sam | October 12, 2009 1:49 PM

Just goes to show, you can't have your cake and eat it.
If the purpose was to keep cars out of the city as claimed, then everybody should be happy. But if it was really just a pathetically disguised ploy to make money, it's backfired big time. Time to come clean!

By Rita the Meter Maid | October 12, 2009 4:10 PM

If they want less people in the center then they should increase the number of resident parking permits and create streets with parking reserved to residents.

This would reduce the ridiculous 5 years waiting time for a parking permit resident in the Centrum.

c.

By Christian | October 12, 2009 4:12 PM

I once called the Stadsdeel Oud Zuid in Amsterdam to ask a parking question (I am a homeowner there) and the employee told me that their goal was to eliminate all cars in the Oud Zuid. Who are these people? As soon as there are no cars in the Oud Zuid, the property values will be nil and the tax base will be nil and there won't be a need for the Oud Zuid to have a stadsdeel. I seriously wonder where they find the communists who govern locally. They do NOT represent their constitutents, but actually resent them and try and think of ways to punish them. Horeca expansion? Check. No parking enforcement? Check. Punishing fees for construction permits? Check. Carte blanche for hotels and bars? Check. Graffiti largely accepted and not even punished? Check. I live near a police station that is across the street from the Stadsdeel and the police station is covered in graffiti. That's a nice way to see our tax dollars hard at work.

By Lawrence | October 12, 2009 4:53 PM

Well, what a surprise: motorists don't want to pay 5 euros an hour (not 4, actually) to park in the centre! As a mother of a young child, these charges certainly keep me away from Amsterdam. To travel there by public transport from a fairly large town only 30km away involves getting BabyAndPushchair (BAP) in and out of the car to go to the station, in and out of 2 trains with high steps and then in and out of one or two trams or buses, then the whole process again in reverse. At 3 euros an hour, the charge would still be steep but not impossible, and would encourage people to take public transport without making the alternative too extortionate. Seems like it would raise more money too!

By Cathy Scott | October 12, 2009 8:31 PM

Best way to solve this problem is to build huge American-style car-parks as near as possible to Amsterdam. Charge not per hour but per day. Make the parking fees attractive, include free shuttle buses to & from A'dam center in the parking ticket. Later you could incorporate car-rentals, bike-hire and even some form of catering, creating new investment and jobs...

But first, as I've mentioned in previous comments, we desperately need a GOOD government, and one with a lot more insight as to what the people want, and not what the selfish government wants!

By stevie | October 12, 2009 11:44 PM

@stevie, totally agree with u

By kos | October 13, 2009 9:03 AM

Ever heard of P&R?
At €5 per 24hrs inc. up to 5 train/metro passes (or cycle hire at some) - i think it's good value- beats any UK scheme hands down

By Paul Charlesworth | October 13, 2009 12:02 PM