The Municipality of Haarlemmermeer increasingly chooses to reuse materials and products. This is better for the environment and often a smart way to save money. Reuse fits with circular working: you use what already exists instead of always buying something new. The municipality now also applies this to parking meters.
Instead of purchasing new parking meters, Haarlemmermeer bought used parking meters from the municipality of Valkenburg in South Limburg. These refurbished meters have been professionally renovated and reconfigured for use in Haarlemmermeer. Most of them will be placed in the city center of Hoofddorp.
Inspection
As with used phones or laptops, after use the devices are inspected, adjusted, and redeployed. All 27 available meters from Valkenburg were purchased. One unit was even brand new and still in the box. The purchase provides the municipality with several devices as reserves.
Circular and sensible
With this approach, Haarlemmermeer shows that you can work circularly even with something as everyday as parking. By reusing, you save raw materials and money, and remain flexible. Alderman Marja Ruigrok: “We increasingly choose to buy reused items. For example, we also bought a used bridge, which we are now converting into a bicycle bridge. In Nieuw-Vennep, we have a materials depot with used paving materials, such as concrete paving stones. Ready for reuse. This way, sustainability and practical policy go hand in hand.”
Smart and sustainable
With this choice for used parking meters, the municipality works circularly and saves money. Alderman Marja Ruigrok (Traffic and Transport) says: “Paid parking is becoming increasingly digital. It is therefore not logical to make large investments in new devices now. By giving existing parking meters a second life, we make a smart and sustainable choice.”
Jurjen Feld (municipality of Valkenburg), Dirk Polpe (project leader conversion) and Paul Broekhoff (parking manager municipality of Haarlemmermeer)
Adapted to Haarlemmermeer
The modifications to the devices were necessary because in Valkenburg the parking meters operated on electricity and coin payments. The large number of German visitors there do not use Dutch parking apps. In Haarlemmermeer, paid parking works differently. Here, the parking meters run on solar panels and you pay only digitally. Therefore, the meters were adjusted. They now also have the same screens as the existing parking meters in Hoofddorp. The meters look neat again and meet our municipal standards.
Investment that pays off
A new parking meter costs about 10,000 euros each. Valkenburg asked 500 euros per used parking meter. The conversion and refurbishment cost about 4,500 euros per device. In total, that comes to about 5,000 euros per meter. That is a considerable investment, but a wise one. This prevents the municipality from needing much higher costs for full replacement in the short term.
Temporary solution with an eye on the future
In about five years, the municipality wants to review and possibly replace all parking meters. That is a logical moment to determine if and how many meters are still needed then. Developments are moving fast, partly due to the increasing use of parking apps. With the purchase of the used devices, the municipality smartly responds to that changing future.