Electric vehicles update: how do UK and Australia compare?
The number of new electric vehicle (EV) sales in London is increasing at a higher rate than in other parts of the UK. According to a Transport for London report, in 2018, 2.81% of sales in the city were EV whilst the UK average was 2.13%. Currently, EVs in London account for 20,600 private vehicles, […]
Hospital parking and its impact on the community
Recently in the UK, a midwife led a campaign against parking restrictions in the vicinity of the Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH), resulting in the delay of the Reading Borough Council plan, as reported by BBC. The parking issue around RBH is not new, especially for the residents who have difficulties in finding parking spaces, not […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Roads: Were they built for cars?
Separate cycle paths or fully integrated with roadways? These early debates of the 1860’s till mirror the discussion today. A recent article posted on Sustainable Cities Collective, explains that roads were not built to cater specifically for cars. Modern day commuters assume that roads became the way they are today, because of the infrastructure […]
Infrastructure the key to Dutch cycling success
In the majority of western countries, car culture has grown at the expense of cycling, according to Streetsblog. But not in Holland. The Dutch chose to develop infrastructure that supported and enhanced the safety and convenience of riding a bike. According to A view from the cycle path, contributor David Hembrow, “Dutch people are empowered to […]
Traffic Flow and Technology
If you think your next road trip is in your own hands, think again. Behind the scenes of traffic flow there may be a number of technologies controlling your journey. From road, to air to even the waterways, your path from A to B may be subject to change in real time. Today we look […]
Would London’s Congestion Charging work in Australia?
If you had to pay $20 to enter the CBD by car, would you take public transport instead? Apparently, if London’s experience is translatable, the answer is yes! In 2003, in an attempt to improve the untenable congestion and pollution that plagued Central London, the government introduced “Congestion Charging”. All private and commercial vehicles entering […]
School Traffic: Looking at reduction options
In the last of our school traffic series, we are taking a look at some of the school traffic congestion alternatives being put forward locally and overseas. The alternatives relate not only to traffic congestion but also how school communities can encourage more active alternatives for children travelling to and from school. In Mosman, Councillor […]
Wayfinder signs encourage sustainable mobility
In several towns and cities in the UK, wayfinder signs aimed at making it easier for pedestrians to navigate and explore are being installed. The new look signage encourages sustainable mobility by helping residents and tourists to navigate their way around town centres and to local landmarks on foot. The Wayfinder system consists of six-foot […]
London: Cycling now considered mass transport
Transport for London’s new Cycling Design Standards Policy begins with the words “Cycling is now mass transport and must be treated as such”. Councils in London boroughs are now requiring developers to integrate this approach into their development plans. A recent example is the 250 City Road project which was required to include ample parking […]
Slime mold models Tokyo rail network
Researchers in Japan and the UK have modelled the complex Tokyo rail network with remarkable accuracy by enlisting the services of the humble slime mold. The single cell, brainless yellow mold, Physarum polycephalum is able to build highly efficient networks of nutrient channeling tubes between food sources. The researchers created a food network of oat […]
London Congestion Charge to rise
London is also grappling with its pollution problem and is considering changes to its Congestion Charging scheme. Currently imposed on every non-exempt vehicle entering the chargeable district, the levy is slated for a general increase commencing June 2014 from £10 to £11.50 per day. According to the Transport for London website, this increase is […]
UK invests in green vehicles and their drivers
The UK has taken a bold stand for a greener future with the recent announcement of a £500 m investment in the growing electric car movement, as reported in The Yorkshire Post recently. Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg unveiled the initiative saying “This is about creating a culture change in our towns and cities so […]
UK play streets making a comeback
Parts of Britain are reinvigorating their neighbourhoods by bringing back “play streets”. As reported in the UK Telegraph, dozens of streets are being closed off to traffic for three hours a week so that children can play safely in them after school. Play streets are not a new concept – they were first introduced in […]
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 […]
New technology could make streetlamps obsolete
A new technology is being trialled in the UK that could make standard street lighting a thing of the past. Surrey-based company Pro-Teq has come up with a product aptly named “Starpath” which is a photo-luminescent surface material that can be applied to roads and footpaths. The particles in the material absorb sun during daylight […]
Hillary Clinton gets unexpected extra at awards event
All in a day’s work! Reported last week in the International Business Times, a Westminster City Council parking warden rather courageously slapped an £80 penalty notice on the car of former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, while she was attending an event at Chatham House. No fewer than five Secret Service minders jumped out of nearby […]
Don’t blame the parking space!
If you think it seems more difficult to park these days, you’re not wrong. We’ve seen statistics that say 1 in 5 accidents happen in a car park, but have you ever wondered why? A contributing factor would definitely have to be that the average size of vehicles has increased steadily over the past 20 […]
(Un) expected fallout from UK workplace parking levy
The introduction of Britain’s first workplace parking levy has been causing a spot of bother in the UK. The City of Nottingham was the first in the UK to introduce the levy in 2012 in an attempt to reduce congestion in the city. Employers are being charged £334 for each parking space offered to employees, […]
Cool Car Park no longer an oxymoron
The adjectives and imagery most often associated with the words “car park” would undoubtedly be summarised as “dull”. Well, be prepared to challenge your preconceived ideas and marvel at the shortlist of the World’s 10 Coolest Car Parks. Yes, they do exist! The contest, run by FX Magazine and Stress Free Airport Parking, recently announced […]
Richard III resurrected in parking lot
Another on the theme of reclaiming urban space — Manhattan theatre group, The Drilling Company, has been doing just that for more than two decades. They have elevated the lowly parking lot to new heights with their annual summer productions of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. Staged in the Municipal Lot at the corner of […]
Double yellow lines under review in UK
It seems that many metropolitan town centres around the globe are facing the same dilemmas—trying to support local businesses and residents with the availability of short term parking, while managing the impact on traffic flows and the public purse. A complex issue, to be sure, to be sure… Reported this week in the UK Telegraph, […]
Parking and Traffic Consultants – 2012 year in review
2012 has been another eventful year for PTC. Many new clients joined the prestigious names in our portfolio, including Perth Airport, Health Infrastructure, Adelaide University and Leichhardt Council. Many other previous clients engaged us to do new work. Just to give you an idea, during the year we worked for these airports: Adelaide, Gold Coast, […]
A year of ‘Parking and Traffic’ blogs in review
Feel like the year has passed you by too? If you’ve been too busy to stay on top of the parking and traffic industry news every week – never fear! Here is our annual round-up of the highs and lows, and headline-making stories from 2012. Parking and policy in Australia This year saw Parking & […]
13th Australian Parking Convention is a resounding success
Following in the steps of the November 2010 Convention, the Parking Association of Australia held its 13th event at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre earlier this week. The event was characterised by a high level of local and international speakers that had the delegates particularly riveted to their seats. The exhibiton, in Hall 6 […]
Plug-in vehicles, plugged in policy?
A report from the UK’s Transport Select Committee recently published in Britain has claimed that sales of electric vehicles (EV’s) are on forecast for growth but remain relatively small despite the introduction of a Government plug-in grant. Incentives offered by the government include financial subsidies for consumers as well as funding for publicly available vehicle […]