Innovative approaches to parking management (SVI2004/043)
Overview
Background & policy context:
The parking policy faces challenges like traffic growth or the increasing scarcity of free floor space. Depending on the prevailing type of landuse based on a specific location or on an area the parking demand changes in time to a varying degree.
Parking management sets a certain parking regime. In the case of paid parking it generates a return for the provision of public street parking or a private or public investment goods (eg parking garage). The parking management policies of municipalities and cities (and the requirements of companies) are located in the area of conflict differently bearing public and private interests.
Improvements and new solutions in parking policy are thus needed in Switzerland to provide a satisfactory parking management in cities.
Objectives:
Present parking management in Switzerland aims at different goals depending on location, size of town etc. The research analyses innovative approaches to parking management that have been put to practice in Switzerland and abroad in recent years, and assess their opportunity for application in Switzerland. On this basis, conclusions for future orientations are drawn and new ideas are developed.
Methodology:
The following methods were used:
- Literature review and additional telephone or personal interviews with authorities and administrations. The interviews are based on a structured list of questions.
- Survey on foreign good practise, supported by the company's network of Research Centre (branches or subsidiaries in England, Holland and France) and existing contacts.
- Presentation and evaluation of innovative management approaches is based on a uniform structure. The presentation of approaches includes a systematic description of the impacts.
The evaluation criteria are based on the "official" target systems of the Swiss federation (objectives DETEC, NISTRA goals). The conclusions are derived from the presentation and evaluation of innovative approaches. The development of new ideas involves a creative brainstorming process, the experts were also integrated on the part of the public administration and private investors.
Where available and usable quantitative results of innovative approaches are taken into account; where no satisfactory quantitative statements can be made, the presentation and evaluation of approaches were provided mainly qualitatively.
Seven approaches have been selected out of the considered fields of innovation, and are analysed and assessed. The selection is based on pragmatic criteria, among which the availability of information, and the aim of covering a large spectrum of approaches. Each of the selected approaches is described in its main features and in a graphic assessment profile.
The following approaches have been selected:
- Payment of parking fees by means of mobile telephones
- Payment of parking fees by means of a mono-functional mobile device (“pocket parking meter”)
- Individual exit barriers for chargeable parking spots
- Parking permit recorded on Public Transport season ticket (monthly or yearly pass)
- Customer-friendly distribution of parking permits
- Emission-dependent tariff modulation of parking permits
- Dynamic control of parking tariffs depending on measured occupancy („Performancebased pricing“).
The assessment of the approaches comprises the following aspects:
- Advantages/Opportunities, Disadvantages/Risks
- From the Swiss perspective: Transferability, Potential for improvement, Cost/Benefitratio
- Assessment of impacts.
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