City Hall pleased with pay-and-display scheme relaunch
City of Athens officials say they are happy with the relaunch of the pay-and-display parking system in the center of the capital after it had been inactive for about five months.
The scheme delivers more than 1 million euros per year in revenues for the municipality and officials say they were encouraged by the initial figures after the program restarted on May 16.
Pay-and-display tickets are available for 1 or 2 euros from 150 sale points in the city center, allowing visitors to park their cars in designated bays for up to three hours.
More than 58,000 1-euro tickets were sold between May 16 and 22, and almost 50,000 2-euro tickets were bought.
Some 5,500 fines of between 20 and 150 euros each were also issued during this period.
The scheme means that 5,400 spaces are made available to permanent residents, 3,500 to visitors, 1,200 for professional vehicles, such as those making deliveries, and 1,600 for motorbikes.
City of Athens officials said they are thinking of extending the scheme beyond the city center.
