The Hague local council is scrapping a trial to charge a fixed €50 parking fee in parts of city by the end of 2024, opting instead for a rise per hour.

Until now, people who parked their cars in two areas in Scheveningen and the centre of The Hague had to pay €50 regardless of the time they spent there. The scheme was set up to encourage visitors to find a space in a car park to ease traffic nuisance for locals.

While the trial worked out for the people living in the busy beach areas and the city centre, businesses said their trade had been affected. Customers could no longer park for ten minutes for a quick purchase, they said, and many people were under the impression they had to pay the high rate in the whole of Scheveningen.

The council has now hit on an alternative, local broadcaster Omroep West said, and will charge more for every hour the car is parked.

It is not clear what the rates will be but they will be significantly higher than at the car parks, the local council said. The new system will come into effect from 2025. Until then the €50 rate will remain in place.