The Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva insists on reviewing the decision on the two buffer parking lots - at the "James Boucher" and "Vasil Levski Stadium" metro stations, which will no longer operate under the "Park and Ride" scheme, but will switch to a standard hourly and subscription regime due to abuses.
The Ombudsman has received signals from citizens expressing serious concern about the planned changes, news.bg indicated. In them, they emphasize that the "Park and Ride" service has a significant role in limiting car traffic to the central city area, reducing congestion and harmful emissions and encouraging the use of public transport - key goals of sustainable urban mobility.
According to citizens, the proposed alternative - paid parking with high monthly fees - cannot be considered equivalent, as it places a significant part of the current users in an economically disadvantaged position and contradicts the principle of proportionality.
Particular attention is paid to the peripheral and buffer nature of "James Boucher" Blvd., which "robbers" the car flow from the southern and peripheral areas of the capital, where public transport is insufficient.
According to citizens, its removal leads to an inevitable increase in car traffic to the central city areas.
Velislava Delcheva expresses concern about the extremely short deadline for introducing the changes, as well as the lack of publicly disclosed motives, impact analysis or assessment of the consequences for citizens who use the "Park and Ride" service daily.
According to the Ombudsman, the mayor's order to reduce the number of buffer parking lots on the territory of Sofia from six to four contradicts both the public calls of the municipal authorities to citizens to use buffer parking and public transport, and the management priorities of the Sofia Municipality for the 2023-2027 term, which provide for the expansion and development of this type of infrastructure.
She also raises specific questions related to the allegations of established abuses in the management of the two parking lots - on the manner of conducting the inspections, their scope, their results and whether any violators have been held accountable.
The Ombudsman adds that the consequences of the decision will affect a significant number of citizens and will lead to an increase in traffic in the capital and for this reason insists on a review of the decision, in compliance with the principles of openness, transparency and real civic participation.