Playa del Carmen Officials Say Canceling Parking Meter Concession Is Not Feasible

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Despite ongoing public complaints about the operation of parking meters in Playa del Carmen, the city council considers canceling the concession granted to the company running the service to be unfeasible due to the significant economic and legal costs it would entail for the municipality.

Juan Carlos Tun Centeno, director of Mobility Supervision for the Secretariat of Territorial Planning, said the concession approved in 2018 still has several years left and could be extended until approximately 2033.

“To revoke those concessions obviously generates a very large cost for the city council,” the official said when asked about the possibility of canceling the contract following recent citizen complaints related to fines and system operation.

The remarks came after a case went viral in which a motorist was allegedly fined before the time paid for on the meter had expired. On that case, the official said the company argued that the payment receipt was not visible on the vehicle’s dashboard, as required by the operating contract.

Tun Centeno stated that the city council receives citizen complaints and can act as a mediator, but clarified that direct operation of the system is the sole responsibility of the concessionaire.

“On our part, from the city council, it is not our responsibility; they are the ones who operate this part,” he said.

The official also acknowledged that the concession scheme benefits the operating company more than the municipality. He added that similar situations occur with other concession contracts related to public services and transportation.

In the same interview, he confirmed that the public bicycle system stopped operating because the related agreement ended, although he clarified that this service was not a mandatory part of the parking meter concession and did not generate revenue for the city council.