From the start of the school year in September, parking rules are changing in Alès: here's what we know…

Dans Alès, les automobilistes doivent s'attendre à du changement… MIDI LIBRE – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Changement pour la gratuité, mise en place d’un "ticket commerçant", consommation, grandes surfaces, etc. Plusieurs points ont été abordés lors du conseil municipal qui s’est tenu dans la soirée du lundi 24 juin.

The subject fueled discussions during the budgetary orientation debate and with merchant associations: when it comes to vehicle parking in the city center of Alès, the rules will change. "After much reflection and discussion", insists Christophe Rivenq, the first deputy of Mayor Max Roustan, during the municipal council which was held on the evening of Monday June 24.

What will happen in the structure parking lots?

The announced changes will be implemented "from September 1", to allow for updating ;first update parking meters and other automatic cash registers. In terms of free parking in structures, we are talking about a return to "before-Covid". The two-hour free service which was introduced in these parking lots, at the end of the health crisis "to help traders", is called to become part of ancient history since it will be reduced to one hour. On the other hand, a "merchant ticket" will see the light of day : store managers will be able to offer them to their customers so that they benefit from an additional thirty minutes free beyond the first hour. A bit like what is currently practiced at the Cinéplanet for spectators who park in the La Maréchale or Place des Martyrs-de-la-Résistance car parks.

One free hour in the arteries of zones A and B

In return, the municipality decides to extend free one-hour parking for surface parking, that is to say on the streets, to the entire city center. Either in zones A and B, while currently only one benefits. As for the prices that will be applied at the start of the school year, the first deputy specifies that they will only change "slightly".

700 000 € deficit

Several factors motivate this paid parking policy. First, the municipal executive wants to encourage the rotation of parked cars so that customers in the heart of the city can find a place and do their shopping. But the additional budget "Parking management, fairs and markets" also turns out to be in the red. It in fact shows, according to Christophe Rivenq, "a deficit of 700 000 €". This is partly explained by the closure of the Abbey halls car park, which " will reopen at the beginning of 2025. As soon as possible!&quot ;

Campaigns are in sight

In September, a communication campaign should accompany these changes. To inform the public that"it is easy to park in the town of Alès" ; "there are 4 500 parking spaces". S’would add a call for "civility" so that motorists park better…

A problem only related to parking ?

First signaling that he was abstaining from this vote, the communist Paul Planque, leader of the Alésien Spring, declared that "we think that the The question of parking is not based solely on the price. It is not the price of parking that determines whether or not people come to buy in the city." To hear him say, the problem of the lack of commerciality is based on "the development of large areas on the outskirts".

"A big crisis of confidence and consumption in France"

In response, Christophe Rivenq also believes that the difficulties of commerce in the city center are not only the consequence of parking, even if some "who suffer have them the feeling". Hence the campaign planned this fall to fight against this preconceived idea! For Max Roustan's right arm, there is above all "a big crisis of confidence and consumption in France". Then, he adds that "as long as we do not emerge from the crises we are going through, the French will not consume or will no longer consume as before" .

"A moratorium" around the city

On the other hand, he brushes aside the implied support for the increase in the number of large brands around the town: "In ten years, no CDAC (the departmental commercial development commission, which examines projects to create or extend retail stores retail trade greater than 1 000 m2 of sales area, Editor's note) has not been issued in the town of Alès. There is a moratorium."

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