Calls mount for all parking fines in the Netherlands to be sent by mail

The National Ombudsman has called for parking fines in the Netherlands to be sent by post, as digital notices are twice as likely to go unpaid. Residents are often unaware that fines are sent to MijnOverheid, the official portal where you can securely access messages from the government and other organisations.

Digital parking fines in the Netherlands less likely to be paid

Based on figures NOS gathered from municipalities, parking fines sent via MijnOverheid are twice as likely to go unpaid compared to fines sent by mail. In Amsterdam, 36 percent of residents who received the notice digitally missed the payment deadline compared with 20 percent who needed a payment reminder after receiving a fine in the mail. 

A similar pattern is seen in other Dutch cities; residents in Almelo, Enschede, Hengelo and Oldenzaal were less likely to pay their parking fines when received digitally (28 percent) than when they got a paper notice (13 percent).

According to NOS, digital parking fines often go unpaid because people are unaware that notices are sent through MijnOverheid, they don’t regularly check their inboxes, or they haven’t updated their email address on the system and therefore don’t receive notifications. "Water boards, UWV, everything is digital these days," said Munish Ramlal, ombudsman for the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. "Almost half of the Dutch population misses such a message now and then.”

Ombudsman calls for Dutch parking fines to be sent by mail

Some residents, such as the elderly, can also have a harder time using the system, which means fines can build up totalling thousands of euros. “Not everyone is equally digitally savvy. Especially with additional assessments like parking fines, the costs can become high for minor errors," explained Ramlal.

To make matters worse, not all municipalities send parking fines by mail, which can cause confusion. This is why the National Ombudsman is advocating for a national policy on parking fine notices. "In one municipality, you get it under the windshield wiper, in another, by mail, and in a third, digitally. As ombudsman, I say: just send all parking fines and additional assessments by mail. That way, it's clear."

Alarm raised as more parking metres removed in Dutch cities

Digital parking fines aren’t the only problem; Senioren Brabant-Zeeland, the country’s largest pensioners’ organisation, has warned that the switch from parking metres to digital parking apps is negatively affecting less tech-savvy residents, such as the elderly.

"We're certainly not against innovation, but seniors must be able to continue to participate," Senioren Brabant-Zeeland chairman Leo Bisschops told AD. "Many of our members are concerned about this development." Several cities, including Utrecht, Amsterdam, Amstelveen and Leiden, are removing hundreds of parking metres as parking apps grow in popularity.

While it saves municipalities on management and maintenance costs, older groups struggle with the transition. Bisschops points out that the apps aren’t universally used across different cities. "You can't use them everywhere in every municipality, and that makes it quite complicated for seniors," says Bisschops. 

Other digital barriers have emerged for the elderly over the years, including cash-free parking metres, declining numbers of ATMs and bank locations. "It's mainly about the pace of change. We also understand that digital apps will eventually become the norm," said Bisschops. "Take the elderly with you, don't go too fast and inform people well," advised the senior organisation.