Lower carbon travel would benefit from parking reform
Major changes to planning laws and regulations relating to the use of public spaces is needed to encourage greener transport use.
The Transport Planning Society (TPS) has published a new report, Just The Ticket!, which outlines no less than 18 ways in which parking rules could be overhauled for environmental gains.
A range of steps have been identified, including reducing the number of parking places new developments are required to offer, tackling parking on verges and other public spaces, and engaging in conversations around the ‘societal cost’ of parking.
Increasing taxes and charges for parking at workplaces, reducing provision in residential areas to an agreed timeline for the introduction of clean public transport, and ‘nudging’ vehicle choice towards more efficient, low pollution models are included in the proposals.
‘Parking is often one of the most hotly contested issues in a neighbourhood, yet the lack of effective parking policy takes public space away from vulnerable road users and more valued alternative kerbside usage, and so contributes to further local air and noise pollution, and congestion,’ said Tom van Vuren, Director of Policy at the Transport Planning Society. ‘This report shows the pivotal role of well-designed parking measures in reducing car dependence and use, promoting alternative modes of travel, ultimately cutting our transport emissions and reclaiming public space.’
‘As all car travel relies on parking at the start and end of each journey, parking policy has a significant influence on how people choose to travel,’ added Andrew Potter, report author and Director at Parking Perspectives. ‘The recommendations outlined in ‘Just the Ticket!’ offer a clear and practical approach to reshaping parking policy to bring about progressive changes in behaviour needed for a greener transport network.’
You can read the full report here.
More on green transport:
£1bn fund for UK EV network expansion closed for three years
Image: Nicc