Pay Parking Lot to Open at Airport

[KevinS]

From Le Journal:



Le parking de la Collectivité face à l’aéroport, à Saint-Jean,
s’apprête à ouvrir. Pour rappel, la première heure de stationnement
sera gratuite, sur ce
parking de plus d’une centaine
de places. Certaines
étant prévues en outre pour
les loueurs de véhicules qui
peuvent souscrire un abonnement
mensuel de 150
euros par place. Pour les
particuliers, les tarifs
démarreront à 2 euros pour
une à deux heures de stationnement.
Et 20 euros
pour un à deux jours. Le
paiement pourra s’effectuer
par carte bancaire ou en en
espèces. Gare à ne pas perdre
votre ticket, il vous en
coûterait 30 euros.


A pay parking lot will soon open across from the airport, adjacent to Marché U. According to the story in Le Journal, there are more than 100 spaces, and the 1st hour will be free. Rates range from €2 for 1-2 hours, to €150 for 14-30 days. A lost ticket will result in a charge of €30. Payment is made at a pay station, and may be paid using cash or credit card. Rental agencies may lease spaces for €150/month.

 

[elgreaux]

interesting...

 

[Eve]

Now if they only had a shuttle to Gustavia

 

[didier]

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

although this is much needed here. and reasonable rates.

 

[KevinS]

I don't have a problem with the pay lot or the rates, as I will rarely need to use it for more than an hour. There are sure to be those that do object, and there are sure to be unintended consequences. I wonder what the fate of the remaining free spaces at the airport will be - eliminated and converted to rental car spaces, occupied by longterm parkers who don't want to pay, or business as usual?

It will be interesting to see how parking changes in the La Savane lot too, the one shared by Marché U and the adjacent shops and businesses. Will some of the businesses lease spaces in the pay lot for their staff and/or company cars? Will longterm parkers start leaving their cars in the La Savane lot instead of paying?

 

[Karen]

Am I the only one thinking , "Wow, growth and with it comes so many changes?" Our little piece of paradise is rapidly growing. Just wondering. I do believe that the rates are very fair if one needs to use the proposed lot.

 

[tim]

Now, if they would build a walking path over the hill down into Gustavia, I think it would help the congestion in town. I know some folks wouldn't dream of walking over the hill, but others of us might.

 

[KevinS]

Tim,

I hear that the Parking de la République, the municipal lot adjacent to the ferry terminal, and across from Le Repaire and Le Carré d'Or, is scheduled to become a pay lot in December. It will be interesting to see if that actually happens, and how the rates and time limits compare to the airport lot.

 

[andynap]

That would be terrible.

 

[Bart -my real name-]

Who/what is this parking lot for? Is there a need for longer parking in that area? (longer than a trip to the market or the shops in the area?)

 

[KevinS]

There has always been adequate parking for the shops. Not so at the airport. I'm guessing that the pay lot is adjacent to the shops simply because there is no available land on the airport side of the road.

 

[didier]

Who/what is this parking lot for? Is there a need for longer parking in that area? (longer than a trip to the market or the shops in the area?)

some of the parking will be used by people who live here and take the plane for an extended vacation.

 

[Bart -my real name-]

So it's for residents to park who are flying from SBH to some other island or the mainland?

 

[Bart -my real name-]

Thanks Diana - - I think we were typing at the same time and you just beat me to it!

 

[elgreaux]

I assume the parking behind the Marché U will remain free for clients of the market and shops there... the issue in Gustavia is more complex and they keep building stores and restaurants without any parking, such as the new building that will go in next to Le Repaire...

 

[KevinS]

In addition to the longterm parking, there are a myriad of other reasons to park at the airport for a short time - waiting to pick someone up, dropping someone when you want to do more than a drop-and-go, saying goodbye to a departing friend/relative, waiting to have an arrival beer with Martin, reconfirming a flight, speaking to the counter agent for some other reason, coffee/lunch at Chez Joe/Aerosnack, maybe even to use the public toilet facilities.

When compared to the current cost (free), the longterm rates give a definite incentive to taxi to/from the airport. Some will choose to pay for parking, some will get a free/taxi ride to/from the airport, and some will refuse to pay. For those who object to paying, some will still park at or near the airport. See my questions above re: the future of the remaining free spaces, and how the pay lot will impact parking in the La Savane lot.

 

[NYCFred]

Hmm.

Park for a month. 'Lose' ticket.

Pay 30e instead of 150. This wouldn't work at JFK...LOL

 

[stbartshopper]

Fortunately we have never had to park at the airport. Just pick up our rentals or drop somebody off. We hope as elgreaux commented that this is not a foreshadowing of paying to park at Marche U and in downtown Gustavia as Kevin S suggests.

 

[pascaleschmidt]

Isn't the issue of parking in Gustavia one of spaces needed since the employees of stores and restaurants take up a lot of spaces , stay there all day which reduces the spaces for customers?

 

[KevinS]

That's probably the biggest problem. There is also a longterm parking issue in Gustavia, perhaps less so than at the airport, with ferry passengers leaving cars while they're away. Another issue is rental car companies staging cars in town, something that I've seen less of lately.