With a brilliant weather forecast and a free weekend, the conditions were right for a tent trip in Lofoten. Magnus Galaasen Bergum from Kabelvåg took his sons with him and went to Bunesstranda in Moskenes municipality. To get to the beach, they had to take the passenger boat that goes into the Reinefjord. Bergum wondered where they should park the car, and decided to park at Reine Ytre havn, a municipal gravel lot where he had parked earlier. A sign said that payment was to be made only at the exit. – “Pay within 48 hours after exiting to avoid fees at parkpay.no” read the sign. There was no information about the price per hour, either on the sign or at the parking machine, says the father of two. Bergum and the sons enjoyed themselves on a camping trip throughout the weekend on the scenic beach. When they returned on Sunday evening, the car had been parked for 43 hours. When he was about to end the parking, the sum he had to pay came up. He says that the amount made him go through the roof. – It was almost NOK 2,000. I was shocked to say the least. Tourists flock to Lofoten, as well as the local population, says the father of the family. On the north side of Moskenesøya lies one of Lofoten’s pearls, Bunesstranda, which is part of the Lofotodden National Park. You can only get here by boat from Reine. Photo: Magnus Galaasen Bergum Cheaper to park incorrectly Bergum wonders why the municipality has not set a maximum price per day. – They could take a certain amount per hour started, up to so many kroner per day. Here it just rages on until you drive out. I have checked the prices at the airport in Leknes, and I can stay there for five weeks for the same price as I paid at the gravel site. In fact, it would have been more economical for the family if Bergum had parked incorrectly. – It would have been cheaper not to pay at all. I could save NOK 1,000 by instead parking the car incorrectly and getting a fine, as the fees for that are up to NOK 990. It doesn’t quite make sense. Magnus Galaasen Bergum says that the municipality should charge a maximum price per day, and charge more for camper vans than for ordinary cars. Photo: Privat In frustration at the incident, Bergum grabbed the keyboard and wrote an open letter to Moskenes municipality through Lofotposten. He believes that the attention will make people think that they are parking somewhere other than the car park there. – It is a shame that tourists should remember Reine as a place where it costs the whites of the eye to park a car to experience nature. And for the local population, Reine will be a “non-place” to visit because of the high prices, he says, and hopes that the politicians will look into the matter. A cozy weekend trip to Bunesstranda ended in shock when Magnus Galaasen Bergum and his sons returned to the car. Photo: private – Should not be punished for following the rules Moskenes mayor Hanna Sverdrup agrees that changes must be made regarding the parking system at Reine Ytre havn. – It turns out wrong when it is cheaper to get a fine than to follow the rules, as he did in this case. You should not be punished for following the rules, says Sverdrup. She states that there is information about the parking prices in the app, on their website and on the parking machine itself. – But it is not certain that everyone checks the machine. – There should be a maximum price for cars that must be parked. But it will be up to the municipal council, and we must see all of this in its entirety. – It is desirable that during the autumn we will have a full review of parking and traffic development in the municipal council, says mayor Hanna Sverdrup. Photo: Unstad Photography / Laila Henriette Høyen She says that the intention with the high prices was that the motorhome tourists did not camp wild on the gravel site rather than paying for the campsites in the area. – Now it turns out completely wrong for those who are going to take the fjord route into the Reinefjord and stay there for a weekend. The municipality has several challenges when it comes to parking. Although the municipal coffers are at rock bottom, they have spent a lot of money to ensure enough parking spaces, both at the Outer Harbor and at Reinebringen. This is how it used to look at the approach to Reinebringen. Photo: Private – When we get a full review, we will look at whether things that have been decided in the past need to be changed and adapted to the current situation. Published 08/08/2024, at 10.20
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Magnus received a parking fee of NOK 1,900 – news Nordland
