Istanbul’s historic Fatih district eyes ‘London-style’ traffic charge

ISTANBUL

The mayor of Istanbul’s historic Fatih district has proposed a “London-style” congestion pricing system and large-scale parking hubs to tackle chronic traffic and parking shortages driven by a tenfold surge in its daytime population.

Fatih Mayor Ergün Turan said the district’s population swells from around 350,000 at night to as many as 3 million to 3.5 million during the day, creating intense pressure on roads and parking.

Located on Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, Fatih is a dense, tourist-heavy area with significant transit traffic.

Turan noted that 285 public bus routes operate in the district with around 11,000 daily trips, alongside private vehicles, delivery traffic and tourist transport.

He said the municipality is studying congestion pricing systems similar to those used in cities such as London and Stockholm, where drivers are charged to enter central zones.

Under the proposal, drivers entering Fatih’s busiest core — particularly the Eminönü area — would pay a fee via an electronic system similar to Türkiye’s highway toll collection. Residents would receive preferential treatment.

The goal, Turan said, is not revenue generation but reducing traffic by up to 20 percent, lowering emissions and encouraging a shift to public transport.

“Owning a car does not give unlimited access to every part of the city,” he said. “Those who contribute to congestion and pollution should bear the cost.”

A key part of the plan involves integrating congestion pricing with “park-and-ride” solutions. Visitors would leave their vehicles in large peripheral parking facilities and continue into the district via public transport.

Turan argued that small-scale parking lots are insufficient for a district like Fatih, calling instead for regional parking hubs within a 500-meter radius.

Two major underground parking projects, with a combined capacity of nearly 5,000 vehicles, have been proposed on land owned by the Istanbul Municipality, but Turan said the district has been requesting approval for seven years.