In coordination with the Cologne Chamber of Crafts (HWK) and the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg District Crafts Association, the cities of Bonn and Cologne have agreed to set up business parking spaces in a standardized format. As implementation in Cologne will still take some time, the city of Bonn is initially starting its own pilot project to designate the first business parking spaces and has also involved the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in the process.
On Thursday, August 22, Bonn's Mayor Katja Dörner, District Master Craftsman Thomas Radermacher, IHK President Stefan Hagen and Stephanie Bargfrede, HWK Managing Director for Business Consulting, Crafts Policy and International Affairs, opened the first business parking spaces in Hausdorffstraße, in front of the parish church of St. Nicholas. In the coming days, tradespeople, care workers and delivery traffic will be able to find parking more quickly and reliably at an initial total of nine locations in Kessenich and Südstadt.
Mayor Dörner: "Creating space for commercial traffic"
The business parking spaces are an important building block for promoting commercial traffic as part of Bonn's mobility turnaround. If the business parking spaces are well received, further locations are to follow throughout the city. Mayor Katja Dörner: "We are creating space for business traffic in Bonn and hope that the new business parking spaces will be well received. Because they are just the beginning." The city of Bonn is paying more attention to the needs of commercial traffic in its planning. The Mayor of Bonn comments: "In addition to the business parking spaces, we are also setting up more loading zones, for example. This is one of the ways in which we are responding to important demands from business associations."
Statement by the Cologne Chamber of Crafts
"With our proposal for business parking spaces, we were not only thinking of our member companies, but also of the citizens of the city of Bonn. We want to prevent trades businesses in certain districts from no longer accepting orders because they have no chance of parking the workshop vehicles they need for their work," emphasizes Stephanie Bargfrede. "Tradesmen's services should also not become unintentionally more expensive due to exploding travel costs. If we manage to reduce unnecessary commercial parking traffic, we will also help to improve air quality. We need a balanced traffic concept for both moving and stationary traffic. Transport policy must not lead to supply chains being weakened or even interrupted. This would also affect the quality of life in the city of Bonn in the foreseeable future."
Statement from the district craftsmen's association
"We have been committed to the realization of the business park zones in Bonn from the very beginning. It's great to see that this commitment is now bearing its first delicate fruits," says Thomas Radermacher. "It is very important for our trade businesses that customers can be reached by vehicle and that the vehicles can be parked close to the job site. Tools, materials, spare parts, protective equipment etc. are transported and are often essential for the work. Due to the proximity to the job site, the planned time schedules for processing the jobs can be adhered to. We assume that the business parking lots will increase the motivation of companies to accept orders in Bonn. We are looking forward to seeing how the parking spaces are received and will continue to advocate the expansion of this concept."
Statement from the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg Chamber of Industry and Commerce
"The desired traffic turnaround will only be successful if the city is easily accessible for commercial traffic. There are various building blocks for this. In addition to tried-and-tested measures such as the expansion of local public transport, there are also potential new concepts," explained Stefan Hagen. "For densely built-up districts with high parking pressure, these include business parking spaces. We think it's good that the city of Bonn is carrying out a practical test here. This is the only way we can clarify how the new model will be accepted and whether it will enable care services, suppliers and other service providers to better reach their destinations in urban areas."
Nine locations coordinated
The locations for the pilot project were developed in collaboration with tradespeople, care services and logistics. In recent weeks, the city has further optimized the areas in dialogue with local retailers. The following locations have now been set up:
- Hausdorffstrasse 145-151 and 234 and at the parish church
- Pützstraße 8
- Bismarckstrasse 19
- Ermekeilstrasse 36
- Lessingstrasse 51
- Bonner Talweg in the area of the IHK and Telekom
Uniform marking and signage
The commercial parking spaces are marked and signposted according to a uniform standard developed by the city of Bonn. Clearly recognizable, unambiguous signage as well as coloured floor markings including clarifying pictograms are intended to ensure that these zones are not blocked by vehicles parked by others. The commercial parking zones are reserved for commercial traffic on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; outside these times, regular parking is permitted. The designated areas may be used by vehicles with tradesmen's parking permits or with exemptions for social services, parcel deliverers and delivery traffic wishing to reach their customers in the area.
The city is pursuing several goals with the commercial parking spaces:
- In areas with high parking pressure, the (time-consuming) search for a parking space is no longer necessary.
- Company vehicles do not have to be parked illegally on sidewalks, on bicycle lanes or in parking bans; this increases road safety.
- Tradesmen, parcel carriers and care services can park their vehicles in the immediate vicinity of their customers.
As part of the pilot project, the city will monitor and evaluate the use of the commercial parking spaces over the coming months. If the results are positive, the administration will examine where further locations can be set up in the city.
Information on the Internet
Further information on parking for commercial traffic is published on the municipal website www.bonn.de/wirtschaftsparken (opens in a new tab). A craftsman's parking permit can be applied for at www.bonn.de/handwerkerparkausweis (opens in a new tab). Outpatient social services can also apply for such a permit.
