Brussels-based users of CarSharing companies Cambio and Zen Car are in for a pleasant surprise this September, as the Belgian capital has made the decision to exempt shared-cars from parking charges in specified areas. It is hoped that the move will reduce the number of unnecessary trips made by car in the city, and will make car-sharing a more attractive option.

Customers of the two providers will receive free parking in green and grey parking zones. For orange and red zones, however, there will be no such exemption, and the same rules for payment and parking time will apply. A spokesperson for the regional parking agency stated that these restrictions only applied to 'a minimal number of streets' in Brussels.

Rather than the customers picking up the tab for parking, Cambio and Zen will pay a charge of €5 per vehicle per year. Emily Muhr, a spokesperson for Cambio, said that the company was pleased with the decision: “It's an advantage for our customers to not have to pay parking tickets, and it reduces administration for us.”

For more information, visit lacapitale.be (in French).