Vilnius city municipalities Seimas member Social Democrat Linas Jonauskas calls the decisions made, which would increase parking fees on some streets, not protection of people's interests, but profiteering.
According to L. Jonauskas, increasing parking fees does not solve the city's problems.
"Decisions on new tolls are similar to basic money laundering for me. The fee increase is motivated by the fact that residents who want to park near their homes cannot do so due to the presence of outsiders who take up parking spaces. But will a higher toll, a changed zone from green to red, really deter those who want to park in this area? I don't think so", says L. Jonauskas.
In the opinion of the member of the Seimas, the problem of air pollution in the city of Vilnius could be reduced by complex solutions.
"One solution is not enough. It is necessary to look at it comprehensively. If residents complain that outsiders park their cars in their parking spaces, those spaces should not be taxed, but should be reserved only for residents who have permits to park in this space. If we want that in the city center and in the old town there would be less pollution, non-residential surface parking spaces should decrease. There are undergrounds for that. Only electric service vehicles should be allowed to enter the Old Town. And if public transport was convenient, its routes were well planned, and city residents could use it for free, very few people would drive their car from home to the center," say factions of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party The Seimas member L. Jonauskas.
According to the parliamentarian, at the meeting of the municipal council, it was decided to adjust some parking zones, changing them to more expensive ones, as well as to add more new territories to the toll zones.
According to him, the territory of the Rasai colony and the territory of Šnipiškii will be included in the yellow toll zone, while the separate streets of Antakalnis, Žirmūnai, Minties, S. Žukauskas, J. Kubiliaus, Žygis, Lakūnai, Pelesas, which have not been tolled so far, will be included in the green toll zone. The part of A. Vivulskios street between Savanorių prospekt, Kedrų, T. Ševčenkos streets, Vingis park area, Rinktinė, Šeiminiškių and Sporto streets is being changed from the green to the more expensive yellow toll zone. The red zone will be established in V. Kudirka, Malonioja and Pušu streets instead of the current green zone. The part of Krakuvas Street near the Register Center - between Kalvarijju and Rinktinė streets - will change from the yellow to the red toll zone. From the yellow to the blue toll zone, Subačius, A. Strazdel, Šv. Spirit streets.
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Jadvyga Bieliavska (ELTA)
