Drivers can't park for free at IBB and Tuindorp-West anymore

The parking lots near the student flats were popular among families with two cars living in neighbourhoods where paid parking had already been introduced. Visitors to the city also considered the lots an attractive alternative to the city centre's expensive parking garages.

As a result, the lots were often overcrowded, and people parked their cars in areas where parking was not allowed. That is now a thing of the past. The municipality of Utrecht intends to introduce paid parking throughout the city. 

The change will be done in stages. There will be no more free parking anywhere in the city by 2034. This weekend was IBB's and Tuindorp-West's turn. People living in the student complexes can apply for a parking permit that costs 41.37 euros per quarter. Without a permit, drivers pay 5.22 euros per hour between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm.