Ankara Municipality cuts parking fees to 1 lira

ANKARA/ ISTANBUL

The metropolitan municipality of the Turkish capital Ankara has decided to cut the parking fees to 1 lira for 24 hours. 

“In order to develop the habit of using parking lots among citizens and for a better traffic flow we have reduced the parking fees. In all of the parking areas that belong to the municipality and companies affiliated to it the service will be free of charge for an hour. The fee will be 1 lira for the time period between 1-24 hours,” said Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Tuna during his visit to the district of Nallıhan on March 9.

The proposal to mark down the parking fees at roadsides, parking lots, parking garages and multi-storey car parks to 1 lira for 24 hours and to provide service free of charge for an hour was approved unanimously by the Metropolitan Municipality Council of Ankara on March 13.

Not in Istanbul 

But a similar proposal was rejected in the Metropolitan Municipality Council of Istanbul on March 12.

“It is not right to put such a proposal in the agenda without prior necessary projections and calculations,” said Faruk Aydın, group deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which holds the majority in the council.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) councilors, who proposed the legislation, pointed to a similar decision initiated by Mustafa Tuna, a member of the AKP.

“The traffic problem in Istanbul is apparent to everyone. We hope you take a stance in favor of the people as the Metropolitan Municipality of Ankara did,” said CHP councilor Nadir Ataman.

After the speeches, the proposal was put to vote and rejected.