Even after a year hardly any cars in the Eindhoven parking garage

A parking garage in Eindhoven is still largely unused a year after it opened. The garage on the outskirts of the city cost more than twenty million euros, but hardly anyone parks their car there.

The five-storey parking garage was intended to make the center of Eindhoven more car-free. But in recent months, an average of only 29 people parked their car there every day. In total stay according to Broadcasting Brabant daily 612 spots empty.

Six months ago, the regional broadcaster already reported that the parking garage barely used† That is still the case. “The numbers are rising, but they are rising very little. I’m honest about that,” responsible alderman Monique List told the regional broadcaster.

Six months ago, the alderman named corona as a cause of the void. The question arises as to why people are still staying away. “We know that finding a P+R always takes a while,” says List. “There has to be an upward trend at some point.”

‘City center too easy to reach’

The idea is that those who park at the parking garage can then go to the center by bus, shared scooter or electric bicycle. Traffic expert Peter van der Waerden of the TU in Eindhoven thinks that people do not use the parking garage because of this. “Making a switch from your own car to, for example, a bus or a scooter is a barrier, especially if you have to buy separate tickets.”

In addition, the center of Eindhoven is now easy to reach by car, he believes. “And there are also plenty of parking spaces in parking garages and on the street.”

According to Van der Waerden, the municipality should advertise more specifically and offer services. “For example, washing the car while you are shopping. Or that your purchases are delivered to the parking garage after shopping.”

The traffic expert also advises to raise the parking rates in the center considerably. Then cheaper parking at the P+R will automatically become more attractive.

To care

Alderman List expects things to get better soon. “The numbers should start rising from the summer. Then the ‘party season’ starts with us with many events, such as Guus Meeuwis. And in the autumn with the Dutch Design Week and GLOW.”

The alderman acknowledges that if the figures do not increase faster, there is a problem. “If it continues to rise so slowly, I’m going to be really worried. Then we have to do that communication differently. Then we have to make a very good analysis with perhaps a survey among visitors. Why people don’t park there,” she says.

“If the numbers are still like that in five years, you might say it failed. I’m not going to say that now.”

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