Ourense Mayor Ends Blue Zone Parking Permanently
Spain's Ourense mayor abolishes paid street parking after 30 years, sparking debate on urban mobility and private concession profits.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ourense ends blue zone: goodbye to 30 years of parking scam
The mayor of Ourense, Gonzalo Pérez Jácome, has fulfilled his electoral promise by permanently eliminating the ORA (blue zone) in the city. The concession, held by a private company for three decades, expired and will not be renewed. The announcement, effective with the new year, has triggered a national debate on the rationale for paying to park on public streets.
The Ourense ORA generated millions in revenue for the concessionaire, but citizens viewed it as a hidden tax. Now, parking in the center will be free, limited only by natural rotation. While supporters celebrate the end of a "rip-off" for drivers, critics warn that without regulation, finding space in busy areas will become impossible.
The paradox of pogre: paying for the street as if it were private parking
The ORA was born as a system to facilitate vehicle rotation in commercial zones, but over the years it turned into a money-making machine. In Ourense, the operating company billed millions without investing a cent in infrastructure. Jácome's decision is not isolated: in Palencia, for example, savings for a typical family exceed 3,000 euros per month compared to Madrid in terms like parking and school fees. The question is whether total free access will lead to a parking collapse in the historic center, as already happens in some unregulated cities.
The ZBE argument: when Europe doesn't mandate as much as claimed
One recurring debate in the thread is the excuse of "Europe mandates it" to maintain urban tolls. Madrid's low-emission zone (ZBE), implemented by Almeida, multiplied the restricted area by 120 compared to Madrid Central, going from 472 to 60,570 hectares. However, in Ourense, the town hall has shown that the ORA can be suppressed without abusa European regulations. Supporters of the measure recall that 99% of the time a politician says "it's because Europe requires it," they are lying.
What about rotation? Conflicts of free parking
The main criticism of eliminating the ORA is that cars will be parked for entire days, preventing rotation. However, proponents point out that underground parking lots remain paid for those seeking convenience, and the city can implement time limits without charging. In cities like Santander, parking for two hours in a regulated zone costs 1.45 euros, while a private garage may charge 5 euros. The difference is abyssal, and total free access eliminates that forced choice.
The debate remains open: is the ORA an unfair tax or a necessary tool? What is clear is that in Ourense the mayor kept his word, and drivers no longer have to dig into their pockets to leave the car on the street. The question nobody answers is how long it will take the next government to resurrect the blue zone, citing "mobility needs."
Related forum debates
The mayor of Ourense, Gonzalo Pérez Jácome, has fulfilled his electoral promise by permanently eliminating the ORA (blue zone) in the city. The concession, held by a private company for three decades, expired and will not be renewed. The announcement, effective with the new year, has triggered a national debate on the rationale for paying to park on public streets.
The Ourense ORA generated millions in revenue for the concessionaire, but citizens viewed it as a hidden tax. Now, parking in the center will be free, limited only by natural rotation. While supporters celebrate the end of a "rip-off" for drivers, critics warn that without regulation, finding space in busy areas will become impossible.
The paradox of pogre: paying for the street as if it were private parking
The ORA was born as a system to facilitate vehicle rotation in commercial zones, but over the years it turned into a money-making machine. In Ourense, the operating company billed millions without investing a cent in infrastructure. Jácome's decision is not isolated: in Palencia, for example, savings for a typical family exceed 3,000 euros per month compared to Madrid in terms like parking and school fees. The question is whether total free access will lead to a parking collapse in the historic center, as already happens in some unregulated cities.
The ZBE argument: when Europe doesn't mandate as much as claimed
One recurring debate in the thread is the excuse of "Europe mandates it" to maintain urban tolls. Madrid's low-emission zone (ZBE), implemented by Almeida, multiplied the restricted area by 120 compared to Madrid Central, going from 472 to 60,570 hectares. However, in Ourense, the town hall has shown that the ORA can be suppressed without abusa European regulations. Supporters of the measure recall that 99% of the time a politician says "it's because Europe requires it," they are lying.
What about rotation? Conflicts of free parking
The main criticism of eliminating the ORA is that cars will be parked for entire days, preventing rotation. However, proponents point out that underground parking lots remain paid for those seeking convenience, and the city can implement time limits without charging. In cities like Santander, parking for two hours in a regulated zone costs 1.45 euros, while a private garage may charge 5 euros. The difference is abyssal, and total free access eliminates that forced choice.
The debate remains open: is the ORA an unfair tax or a necessary tool? What is clear is that in Ourense the mayor kept his word, and drivers no longer have to dig into their pockets to leave the car on the street. The question nobody answers is how long it will take the next government to resurrect the blue zone, citing "mobility needs."
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (121 replies).
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