Kazan restaurateurs are seeking to lift the parking ban near their establishments

Kazan restaurateurs insist on changing parking rules in the historical center of the city. They propose to remove the “no stopping” sign near their establishments in the evening, noting that the fight against traffic jams has led to “the disappearance of people in this part of the city” and “as a result, a strong blow to business.” They believe these offerings will allow them to win back customers. However, the traffic police believe that business interests “should in no way affect safety.”

Customers drive past establishments in the center of Kazan
Photo: Mikhail Sokolov, Kommersant

Yesterday, at a meeting of the Coordination Council (CC) on the support and development of small and medium-sized businesses in Tatarstan, the director of Maidan LLC (the Well-Fed cafe chain) Maria Gorshunova proposed changing the parking rules in the historical center of Kazan. “So that business in the center does not die out for a long time, allow parking after 18.30 ... under “no stopping” signs near cafes, restaurants, shops, pharmacies, tailor shops, banks and other service enterprises,” said Ms. Gorshunova. The restaurateur added that businessmen should also be allowed to make stopping pockets “where the width of the sidewalk allows,” “with an indication that parking is allowed for customers’ cars.”

Ms. Gorshunova justified the need for changes by saying that “businesses in the center of Kazan lack consumers,” since, due to strict parking rules introduced in the city in connection with the Universiade, the central streets were almost empty. “The center of Kazan began to become and eventually became a kind of memorial zone in which citizens of our city no longer appear without special need,” complained Maria Gorshunova. She noted that it is more convenient for people to visit a store or cafe outside the historical part of the city than “to drive into extremely inconvenient multi-level parking lots and walk from them to these establishments.” “On the one hand, the desire of the authorities to eliminate traffic jams in the city center is understandable... And the traffic jams were indeed eliminated, but not by the presence of cars in these parking lots, but by the disappearance of people in this part of the city and, as a result, a strong blow to business related to trade and services “, emphasized Mrs. Gorshunova.

She was supported by the Chairman of the Board of the Association of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Kazan and Tatarstan, General Director of Tatinrestorans LLC Zufar Gayazov, calling the situation described by his colleague “problem No. 1” for all members of his association. He emphasized that many businesses are becoming unprofitable—restaurants are losing customers because they cannot find a place to park their car. “When it’s warm, you can put up with it and take a walk in the fresh air, but in winter this will be a problem,” Mr. Gayazov emphasized.

However, the restaurateurs did not find sympathy from the deputy head of the traffic police department for Kazan, Igor Novikov, who was invited to the CC meeting. “Economic activity should not in any way affect safety,” he responded to the complaints, complaining about the high traffic density in Kazan. He noted that not every driver driving down a particular street needs to get to a store or restaurant. “The rights of one person should under no circumstances affect the rights of an indefinite number of citizens,” said Mr. Novikov. He advised restaurateurs, when opening their establishments, to take into account that “some restrictions are possible” and to start building parking lots: “Build, make a profit from it - for God’s sake, please!”

Zufar Gayazov tried to remind Mr. Novikov that this was only about allowing parking in the evening. “This is not possible everywhere, though. And if one can do it, why not the other? That’s two,” the traffic police representative answered him. “We just need to accept the streets, where possible, and allow them there,” the chairman of the Constitutional Court, first vice-president of Opora Rossii, Pavel Sigal, entered the discussion. However, Mr. Novikov did not want to agree with the businessmen, noting that in the center there are mainly youth institutions, which are causing a “not entirely healthy” crime situation.

The discussion about parking continued for almost an hour. “Parking is prohibited on Rodeo Drive in Miami during the day, but you can park there in the evening. In Dubai, parking is free on weekends,” Alexander Sergeev, general director of the management company Alexander LTD, shared his knowledge of the world. “Each of you defends your personal interests,” said Igor Novikov, adding that signs that allow parking only for customers of the establishment “do not exist in nature.” To this, one of the entrepreneurs noted that he had recently seen a similar sign at the police department.

By the end of the meeting, it became clear that it would be more expedient for restaurateurs to contact the executive committee of Kazan, since it is the one entrusted with the functions of organizing the road network in the city, and the traffic police only coordinates changes. It was decided to prepare a draft proposal to change parking rules and send it to the mayor's office.

Kirill Antonov

The business asks the traffic police to pick up customers