Parking space frustration

When parking spaces become a luxury in residential areas

The parking pressure in Auhirschgasse is manageable in the mornings, but not so in the evenings and at weekends.(Bild: Kerschbaummayr Werner)

For people living in the city center, the problem is nothing new: the daily pressure to find a parking space. But it is rare for residents of new housing estates on the outskirts of the city to be exposed to the "parking space roulette" on an almost daily basis and it often depends on luck whether you get a parking space near your home. But this is a bitter reality on Auhirschgasse in Pichling.

And now the situation is getting even worse. In the past, many people had parked on the edge of the adjacent private road in their time of need, but now prohibition signs have been put up there and the local council is threatening costly actions for disturbance of possession.

"There is one garage space per apartment, but it was only affordable at the beginning, now it is barely affordable for many of us at just under 100 euros a month. And of course, the small parking spaces in front of the houses are almost always full, especially at weekends," explains a young resident in an interview with the "Krone".

The private road does not allow parking, cycling or walking.(Bild: Kerschbaummayr Werner)

Garages empty, roadsides full
The housing estate comprises around 300 units, including so-called starter apartments for young people in addition to normal apartments. In new housing estates of this kind in particular, you often see that many underground parking spaces remain empty because they are too expensive, while the roadside spaces are completely congested. This shows that rigid parking space regulations alone will not solve the problem. "We urgently need a solution to this chaos," says the resident, hoping that politicians will get involved.