Violent charge against the first no charged hour in Angers car parks

La gratuité de la première heure de parking, mais au-delà, la politique de déplacement et la redynamisation du commerce de centre ville ont été cette fois-ci, après les finances le mois dernier, le terrain d'un vif débat au conseil municipal entre élus de la majorité et de l'opposition.

Christophe Béchu

The first no charged hour in Angers car parks, and beyond, the town policy about the retail store business in down town, have been the field of arguments between municipal majority and minority. That measure was a promise of the mayor, during the electoral campaign. Such a characteristic was therefore propicious to a fierce debate insite Angers city council. The initiative would cost 840,000 € per year to town hall which will have to pay the operator of the parking lots instead of the drivers. For years, the retail store owners had complained about their difficulties given the prices of the car parks and the availability of no charged car parks in commercial centres in and around Angers.

Credit pictures : Angers city and Sara

According to Gilles Mahé, ecologist town councillor, "the decision is an aberation in the field of travelling policy, this is demagoguery". A few minutes later, another minority town councillor, Anthony Taillefait, pointed out that "the measure should be enrolled in the city communication budget instead of the commerce and travelling budgets". "You make the Angevins pay for a communication measure for a part of your faithful and unfailing electorate", that one sent out to the mayor, Christophe Béchu.

Gilles Mahé

Mr. Béchu replied that "there is no reason for a nuanced answer if the attacks are exaggerated", reminding that "during the previous term, the travels between the suroundings of the city and the city had increased by 40%. As for the commerce issue, that term was everything but a success". That initiative will be implemented from September first and, according to its sponsors, will strenghten the business in down town. Every first hour in the open air or built car parks (except the Ralliement where it will be charge 1 € in order to avoid uses of the facility disconnected with the commerce) will be free and a balance of the idea will be produced next year. But, before that, other measure will be drafted.