Growing driverless car fleet in the US
Waymo, the company created to commercialise Google’s self-driving car research, was launched last December and is moving fast forward to set its position in the autonomous vehicles sector. The company used 100 self-driving vehicles to conduct public tests in Arizona; in comparison, Uber had 43 active self-driving vehicles being tested in March 2017. Now, Waymo […]
Impact of new laws for cyclists and drivers
As we reported last week in our Wayfinding Blog, “New fines for cyclists could see bikes dumped for cars”, there are many changes to road rules affecting cyclists and motorists, effective today. Here we outline the crux of these; New laws for drivers passing cyclists Drivers in NSW must leave one metre of space when […]
New fines for cyclists could see bikes dumped for cars
From the 1st March, NSW bike riders will be faced with a bevy of new and increased fines. Riding without a helmet will increase from $71 to $319, riding without ID will cost $106 (abc.net.au), while the penalty for running a red light will increase to $425, according to the SMH. The City of Sydney […]
Solar panels to hit the roads in France
Over the next five years, and with the support of the country’s Agency of Environment and Energy Management, France will install some 1,000km of solar roadways using cutting edge technology, according to treehugger.com. In a joint venture between France’s National Institute for Solar Energy and Colas (a transport infrastructure company) solar panels will be glued […]
How Chinese companies are dealing with carpooling
General Motors in China have developed an app to enable their 700 employees to share rides with their colleagues and combine their “employee carpooling program with intelligent mobile technology”. According to carscoops.com the program allows drivers to input their preferred route, departure time and number of seats available, while riders will submit their commuter requests. […]
Challenging a parking fine? There is an app for that too
For an 18 year old in North London, new technology and creative thinking, has led to the creation of a website which allows motorists to contest parking tickets in seconds. The volume of parking tickets Joshua Browder was receiving was enough to inspire him to create his own website donotpay.co.uk to fast track the appeal […]
Robotic car parks – how successful are they?
Automatic robotic parking garages have been popping up around the world from Miami to Denmark for many years. Whilst they represent a sign of the times in terms of the development of technology and smart cities, their design and implementation can sometimes be problematic. Take for instance what is considered the perfect car park in […]
Cristina Lynn re-appointed as President of Parking Australia
Congratulations to Cristina Lynn for her re-election to the board of Parking Australia and her appointment as President for another term. Parking Australia (PA) celebrates the inclusion of women in 4 key positions – President, CEO, plus two board members (Joy Addison and Sharon Prior). Gender balanced boards make good business sense, according to womenboards.org.au […]
Can Sydney develop its own digital traffic plan?
The world is embracing digital transformation with gusto and speed. Smart cities around the globe are reshaping and rebuilding themselves for the better and creating a more liveable and safe environment for residents. But for some reason Sydney is lagging behind. According to a recent report released by the Committee for Sydney, as reported in […]
Uber forces closure of London taxi college
Whilst Uber is yet to be legalised here in NSW (see abc.net.au), London cabbies claim Uber is responsible for the downfall of their training school, Knowledge Point (UK), as mentioned in the AFR. 70-year-old business owner, Malcolm Linskey, attributes Uber for the closure of the business he started 30 years ago in Islington, North London. […]
Sustainable public transport the key to Shanghai’s bold development program
According to ShanghaiDaily.com, the city is set to be developed into a ‘megacity’. However, it will be a long journey for planners and policy makers. The thoughts of local residents resonate with many residents here in Sydney – ‘long commutes and traffic jams’. Planners in both cities are faced with massive challenges to make them […]
Will driverless cars survive the test?
On 8th November, media and key industry personnel were exposed to the first demonstration of driverless cars in Adelaide. The SMH reported a ride in a driverless car was seamless. The feeling was the same – smooth, safe and structured. According to the reporter Adam Carey, the car cruised leisurely along the highway at […]
Transport planning and infrastructure key to the successful introduction of driverless cars
There is no doubt that driverless cars will be here within the next five to 10 years and the NSW Government is certainly putting planning and infrastructure at the top of the list. NSW Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Andrew Constance, recently announced in the AFR that “transport planners must prepare by reassessing investment priorities and […]
Is Sydney Ready for a Congestion Tax?
The topical and contentious issue of a congestion tax was again discussed in the SMH this week. As major transport projects are completed over the next few years, the Baird government has left the door open to consider introducing a congestion tax, whose aim would be to charge motorists to enter the CBD to […]
Design & fashion make their way to the car park
Ask anyone about the definition of a car park, and you will instantly hear words such as: congestion, nightmare, traffic, expensive, hard to use or perhaps “I can never find my car”. But has anyone ever responded with “they are the best place to hold a fashion show”? Perhaps not. Earlier this year the British […]
Happy PARK(ing) Day
Creativity and a forward thinking group of innovative designers, Rebar, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary park in downtown San Francisco. Bingo – a worldwide event was created – PARK(ing) Day. From its humble beginnings in 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement and it is here in […]
The future of driverless cars – how soon will they be here?
The South Australian Government have joined the driverless car movement with a recent commitment to “pass laws to allow driverless cars on the road within a decade”, according to the ABC. The SA Government hopes to “foster technological innovation and revive Australia’s manufacturing industry” with this initiative. Consequently, the first trials for driverless […]
Melbourne car parks valued at $100m+ up for sale
Two car parks located in Melbourne, have hit the market at a time when the number of purpose-built commercial car parks is rapidly declining. According to Urban Developer, the combined sale of these two car parks will see more than 1,000 parking bays on offer with a value of more than $100 million. This […]
Urban mobility goes electric in Copenhagen
As reported in Inside EVs, a new initiative between leading business groups and providers of public transport has seen urban mobility jump to the forefront in Copenhagen. In a joint initiative between Arriva (Denmark’s provider of public transport), DriveNow (European car sharing operator) and BMW, means the people of Copenhagen can now enjoy urban […]
Adelaide Car Park Value Hits the Roof
As reported in the Financial Review, a six level car park close to one of Adelaide’s major entertainment and higher education areas has sold to a local private buyer for $27 million. Located close to Rundle Mall and the University of Adelaide, the car park enticed a high level of interest due to the potential […]
Chinese High Speed Rail Set for Success
While China and Australia vastly different culturally, physically, and economically, a recent article in the Financial Review highlights something we have in common — both countries have a rail network that is required to cover an enormous amount of ground. According to this article, the contrast between our countries’ transport systems on long-distance journeys is […]
Cost to build a car park- and more!
Read the 2019 updated version of this post. Occasionally, people inquire as to what it costs to build a car park (this week, in fact). This is not an easy question to answer quickly, as there are many variables to consider — Is it at-grade or multi-storey, CBD or regional, number of bays, which […]
Toyota working with the World Business Council for Sustainable Mobility
Photo credit: Volvo Traditionally achieving sustainable mobility in city centres has been the purview of town and urban planners in the employ of local, state and federal governments. However, citizens around the world are becoming more concerned with the environment and mobility. As citizens and governments become more focused on the achievement of sustainable mobility, […]
Mercedes self-driving Future Truck
Self-driving cars have been in the news for some time, but Mercedes Benz has just taken it up a notch with concept designs for an autonomous truck (semi) that aims to revolutionise the transport industry, reports Wired. The focus is on safety and addressing the cause of many trucking accidents by putting computers in control. […]
Adelaide parking tax quashed
The recent introduction of South Australia’s controversial parking tax was voted down in Parliament last week, reports ABC news. An Opposition amendment to remove the tax was passed with the support of both Family First and Independent MPs. This was welcome news for the Property Council of Australia and the State Coalition to Repeal the […]
Customer Service anyone?
Here’s a fabulous post from former chair of the International Parking Institute (IPI), Casey Jones which appeared last month in the IPI’s blog, Parking Matters. With Casey’s permission, we are re-blogging it to our network. The lesson is short and sweet, and compulsory reading for any business that thinks it offers GREAT customer service…just make […]
Australia well-positioned after V2V technology given green light in US
Australian technology companies look to be well placed in what could become the future of road safety for light vehicles. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have recently announced that the US will begin taking steps to facilitate the introduction of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology. V2V technology […]
Tick of approval for safer car parks
The reputation of car parks is slowly evolving, but there is definitely more work to be done in ensuring that they are safe places for the people that use them. Unfortunately, they are still a common place for thugs to commit a crime, be it robbery, assault or even murder. The responsibility of owners and […]
2013 from the rear-vision mirror
Hard as it is to accept it, another year is about to end. When we ask ourselves “Where did it go?”, we realise that we have been too busy working to notice the passing of time! Appreciating Our Regular and New Clients 2013 has been a very successful year for us at Parking & Traffic Consultants. […]
Women in Parking lands in Australia
Cristina Lynn, Vice President of PAA at WIP Launch Event At a recent PAA event in Sydney, PTC Managing Partner and Treasurer of the Parking Association of Australia, Cristina Lynn, launched the Australian chapter of Women In Parking. Australia is the first outpost of the US association by the same name, and members will enjoy […]