Going to a shopping mall and discovering that parking already costs money because you forgot to validate your ticket could become a thing of the past in Querétaro. The Sustainable Mobility and Transit Commission approved a reform to automatically grant the first two hours of free parking. The intention is that no customer will have to search for a machine or complete any paperwork to access this benefit.
The amendment includes changes to the Law on Public Parking and Vehicle Reception and Storage Services for the State of Querétaro. If the proposal completes the legislative process, parking lots at shopping malls and plazas will no longer be able to require ticket validation during the free period. The system will have to recognize this time without user intervention.
The legislator who promoted the initiative explained that the reform seeks to end a practice that affects many consumers. He pointed out that several shopping malls place the validation modules in inconspicuous or hard-to-find locations. As a result, many people leave without validating their ticket and end up with a charge they could have avoided.
According to the congressman, this situation means that the right to two free hours of parking is not always respected in practice. For this reason, the proposal eliminates any additional requirements to access the benefit. The idea is that free parking depends on the parking system and not on each customer remembering to take an extra step before leaving.
During the discussion, differences between shopping malls in the state were also mentioned. The legislator stated that Paseo Querétaro already operates with an automated system that allows customers to leave within the free time without validating their ticket. However, he pointed out that other malls, such as Antea, still maintain a different procedure.
Congressman Mauricio Cárdenas supported the initiative, considering it a benefit for family budgets. He explained that it is unfair for someone to pay for parking after shopping at a mall. From his perspective, eliminating these types of expenses helps reduce the impact of daily costs.
Customers will no longer need validation to receive a benefit
The legislator also maintained that these types of measures are increasingly important because, he said, there is no federal policy focused on improving citizens’ everyday finances. Therefore, he believes that any action that allows people to save money on common activities can directly benefit families in Querétaro.
Although the proposal still needs to complete the rest of the legislative process, the change opens a conversation about how shopping mall parking lots operate. If the reform takes effect, customers will no longer need validation to receive a benefit that the law already provides. Simply remaining within the free parking time will be enough to exit without additional charges.
Source: xataka
