Background information

The Urban Mobility Centre is responsible for financing, construction, operation and maintenance of parking, garages and open space parking spaces in Sofia city. The company also lends parking spaces in the Bulgarian capital city.

Following a number of measures aimed at lowering the risk of COVID-19 infection, the company introduced a new mobile application in October 2021. The application will save time for the citizens and reduce the number of direct contacts between the city drivers and the representatives of the Urban Mobility Centre. The application is expected to facilitate communication between company representatives and citizens with hearing deficit.

Content of measure

Since 7 October 2021 the Urban Mobility Centre EAD introduces a new mobile application for the citizens of the capital city. The application is called "Sofia Plus" and allows fast payment and release when placing a "wheel clamp" on a car. The application is free to download and requires a one-time registration. It will be possible to pay for the release of the detained car remotely with a credit or debit card. This eliminates the need to apply for exemption from a "wheel clamp" over the phone to the Company's Information Center, which has so far been the only option. There will be no need for the driver to stand next to the car and wait for Urban Mobility Centre's mobile wheel clamp team. As soon as the wheel clamp is removed, the driver will receive a notifying message about new payment request to hold a parking place or moving the car away from the parking area.

Use of measure

Through the Sofia Plus app citizens can pay the fee for releasing the wheel clamp of their own car or the clamp of other car owned by a friend or a relative. It is enough to enter the number and the data of the bank card when paying the fee. The system uses Latin letters and can be downloaded to both Android and iOS.

Contents

• Health and safety

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

No social partners' views are encountered at the time of releasing the measure in October 2021.

Views and reactions

No social partners' views are encountered at the time of releasing the measure in October 2021.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 07 October 2021: URBAN MOBILITY CENTRE EAD INTRODUCES A NEW SERVICE FOR QUICK PAYMENT AND RELEASE FROM "WHEEL CLAMP" (www.sofiatraffic.bg)