Girona City Council is set to approve a major expansion of regulated parking across the city, with new green, blue and orange zones planned in many streets. The proposal, based on a four-year study, would turn thousands of currently free spaces into paid parking, while giving residents lower tariffs.
The municipal plenary session is expected to give initial approval next Monday. After that, there will be a period for objections, followed by final approval and a gradual rollout. City officials say the council will also hold talks with affected neighbourhoods before the changes are introduced.
The plan would increase Girona’s regulated parking from about 2,300 spaces to roughly 13,000. The biggest change is that many areas now used for free parking would come under set hours, tariffs and controls.
Green zones would be the main part of the new system and would mainly reserve spaces for residents. The expansion would cover areas including Barri Vell, Santa Eugènia, Eixample Nord, El Carme, Pedret, Sant Ponç, Sant Narcís, Montilivi, Can Gibert del Pla and Eixample Sud. Residents in the relevant sector would pay the lowest rate, estimated at about one euro a week. Girona residents parking in a neighbourhood where they do not live would pay less than drivers from outside the city, but more than local residents.
Blue zones would expand mainly in commercial areas, especially in Eixample Sud and streets with business activity, to keep parking spaces turning over. Orange zones are planned for drivers from outside Girona who need to park for several hours, with locations such as the roundabout in Pedret and behind the Maristes school. The proposed daily rate is about two euros, cheaper than blue zones but still paid parking.
Some neighbourhoods, including Fontajau, Germans Sàbat, Montjuïc, Palau and Girona Est, are not included in the expansion because the council says they do not face the same parking pressure. Parking areas such as those at Fontajau, in front of the cinemas and in Palau would remain free. The council also plans to promote mobile payment apps, while keeping parking meters in use and installing new ones in the regulated zones.
The study also considers changes to loading and unloading areas, moving away from physical clocks to app-based systems. The future management model is still under review, including the option of involving a third-sector company. The council says public control would remain in place, even if an external body handled tasks such as surveillance, maintenance and support with revenue collection.
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