The Brussels municipality of Forest is increasing the annual cost of its resident card – which allows locals to park their cars in their neighbourhood – for the first time since 2011.
Paid parking was first introduced in Forest in 2011. Since then, the €15 rate for the resident card has never been indexed, while the costs for infrastructure, maintenance and the development of public space have increased considerably. Now, Forest is adjusting the rate to €30 per year.
"Public space is a shared but scarce resource in the city. We must take good care of it together," said Forest councillor for Mobility Flo Flamme (Ecolo-Groen). "If we want passable pavements, safe school environments and pleasant streets, we must be prepared to adapt the rules."
"Revising parking rates is not just about money. It is a choice: investing in a space where everyone feels at home, without the size of your vehicle determining who gets the most space," Flamme said.
Cars becoming wider and heavier
In addition to the doubling of the annual cost from 5 May 2025, Forest is also introducing a surcharge of €120 per year for vehicles longer than 4.9 metres, to limit the impact of larger vehicles on public space. This measure is already in force in other Brussels municipalities such as Jette, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek, Koekelberg and Ixelles.
A recent study by the Regional Government shows that cars are increasingly becoming wider and heavier. This means that drivers of large vehicles have less visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and especially children. The extra weight of these vehicles also makes accidents much more serious, which puts the most vulnerable road users at even greater risk.
"In all cities, we are seeing an increase in the size of vehicles. As in other municipalities, we felt it was important to adapt our rates to this new reality and have everyone contribute in proportion to their use of public space," said Mayor of Forest Charles Spapens (PS).
