Futuristic transport plan for Windhoek
Namibia’s capital Windhoek is close to finalising a futuristic transport master plan, focusing on safety, aesthetic and environmental concerns, as well as traffic efficiency by integrating the road network of the capital, including surrounding regions and the international airport. The Sustainable Urban Transport Master Plan is a collaborative effort between the City of Windhoek and […]
Parking levy could fund transport expansion in Toronto
Toronto’s transport authority Metrolinx has big plans to solve their city’s congestion troubles, but the question remains, how are they going to pay for an ambitious list of proposed investments? To better engage the community and help inform policy decisions, the authority has released an online interactive simulation where the public can select the projects […]
Parking lot manager in conspiracy to steal over a million dollars
A former parking lot manager at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a conspiracy to steal more than $1 million in visitors’ parking fees. For just over three years, Abeselom Hailemariam was the manager at the 2,000-vehicle parking lot servicing the renowned museum precinct. […]
Parking meter technology is not always convenient
Every week we read about new car parking technology being unveiled somewhere in the world. This week, The New York Times published about the latest smart phone application being trialled in the Bronx, using real time updates to direct drivers to available parking spaces. The technology also allows for motorists to pay for parking with […]
Brisbane to Melbourne high-speed rail, but at what cost?
Phase two of the Federal Government’s study to construct high-speed rail (HSR) spanning from Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra was released this week to a lukewarm reception. The ambitious infrastructure plan would be the largest investment of any national project, eclipsing the NBN many times over. The HSR network, comprising over 1,700 kms […]
George Street makeover a step closer
Both the State Government and the City of Sydney agree that light rail from Circular Quay to the city’s east along George Street will be a great thing for Sydney. The vision is for an integrated transport network able to move large groups of commuters quickly and effectively around the CBD and out to major […]
Transit Oriented Development needs to be more than transit and development
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is not a new concept in urban planning. DNAinfo.com has published a story about the latest mixed development taking advantage of local public transport hubs in Chicago. The Wicker Park building contains 99 residential units but only 15 car spaces, supposedly reserved for visitors only. Whilst ratios vary around the world, […]
Green badges to encourage electric car investment
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called for free parking for electric vehicles in an attempt to encourage UK drivers to switch to the more environmentally friendly mode of travel. An article published by the Guardian this week, explains that the concept is similar to the existing blue badge scheme for disabled drivers. […]
Folding cars. Your parking problems are solved!
Ever tried to squeeze into an impossible parking spot? We all have, but with the latest technology coming out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) the impossible is becoming possible. A BBC Business News report published this week has revealed the media lab at MIT has designed a ‘folding car’ which is being developed […]
PIE at Chicago, 2013
Cristina Lynn attended the Parking Industry Exhibition held in Chicago earlier this month on behalf of the Parking Association of Australia. The exhibition took place over three days showcasing a wide range of suppliers with many representatives from access control, parking guidance, ticket manufacturers, LED lighting and on-street technology. A very interesting group of speakers […]
Businesses fight parking levy in Adelaide
A coalition of South Australia’s most influential property owners have joined forces to fight the State Government’s Transport Development Levy planned for Adelaide’s CBD. We posted about this levy earlier this year. Led by the SA branch of the Property Council of Australia, the State Coalition to Repeal the Parking Tax (SCRPT, or ‘SCRaP iT’) is […]
CBD parking tax win for New Zealand businesses
New Zealand PM, Mr John Key Meanwhile in New Zealand, business organisations and unions have claimed victory after the Prime Minister backed away from a government proposal to introduce a fringe benefit tax on car parks provided to employees as part of their remuneration. The tax on inner-city car parks in Auckland and Wellington drew […]
FlightCar to alleviate airport parking headaches in San Francisco
Time Business & Money has reported passengers flying into San Francisco now have an alternative when deciding on their rental car choice. An innovative peer-to-peer car-share program is operating out of the international airport. Travellers can choose to leave their car prior to boarding their flight, allowing fellow travellers to use their vehicle while they are […]
Electric cars to have a home at Highland Park, Chicago
The Chicago Tribune has reported Highland Park, a municipality of Chicago, will create areas in its downtown to accommodate electric cars. The city will consider priority parking spaces and reduced vehicle sticker fees to further incentivise electric car owners. The concept is hoped to be not only good for the environment, but also may help […]
Compact automated parking garage launched in LA
AutoParkiT has just been launched in the Van Nuys district of Los Angeles. The system is designed to automatically park, store and retrieve vehicles in a compact parking structure, using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology containing details of the user to ensure the swift identification and retrieval of vehicles. Whilst automated mechanical parking is not new, this […]
National Cycling Strategy to make roads safer for cyclists
A report released late last year by Austroads entitled Cycling on Higher Speed Roads will dovetail into the agency’s National Cycling Strategy 2011-2016. Leon Patterson, National Director Infrastructure Management for the IPWEA says the report provides options for public works professionals to consider when seeking ways to accommodate bicycles on Australian roads. The latest report is only […]
Bikes and cars battle for parking in the UAE
It’s confusing times for motorists in U.A.E when it comes to street parking, especially for motorcyclists. A report from Emirates 24 | 7 has highlighted the confusion with stories of misinformation, blatant disregard for the law and officials willing to “turn a blind eye”….. sometimes. So, what’s all the fuss about? Car owners claim that […]
Car sharing in San Francisco seems like a good idea, doesn’t it?
The City of San Francisco prides itself on its Transit First policy, a concept that emerged over 40 years ago to ensure that urban development focused primarily on public transport solutions to tackle the city’s congestion problems. In this vein, two such initiatives have been recently adopted. One was to tighten controls on car park […]
Car park design – an interesting beast
In any development, there is a fine line between the interests of the engineer, the developer, the investor and the end user. Ultimately all are after a solution which works, but it can be the age-old battle between cost and benefit which dictates terms. In a previous post entitled Why Simple Design is Often […]
IPI Publishes How to Park: The Must-Read Manual for Teen Drivers
The International Parking Institute (IPI) of which we are a member, has just issued an interesting manual for teen drivers on How to Park. You can read the manual here.
WA Labor’s election pledge to trial satellite car parks
Western Australia’s Opposition Leader Mark McGowan has pledged a series of measures to reduce Perth’s traffic congestion. The plan improves direct rail access to Perth Airport and would add an extra 17,000 parking bays around the rail network over the next eight years. The pre-election commitment comes as part of Labor’s $3.8B Metronet Plan aimed […]
Car parking fee slashed to encourage investment
Port Adelaide Einfield Council has voted to reduce the penalty on new developments to encourage commercial investment. Under current regulations, in lieu of providing their quota of car parks required for new proposals, developers may choose to make a financial contribution to the Port Adelaide Centre Car Parking fund. Revenue raised by this fund goes towards upgrading or building new car […]
City workers paint handicapped spot around car, then tow it
The UK’s Daily Mail has reported on a truly remarkable story described by the irate victim as “bullying and contempt never seen before.”When Hila Ben Baruch, from Tel Aviv, Israel parked her vehicle outside her home with a parking permit, she had done so legally. By the time Ms Ben Baruch had returned, a handicapped […]
Jakarta’s off-street parking tariff hike to “cover loss insurance for car owners”
The doubling of Jakarta’s off-street parking tariffs to Rp 4,000 per hour (AUD$0.41) prior to the last year’s gubernatorial (City Governor) elections will be challenged in an Indonesian court. Lawyer David Tobing has filed a lawsuit against the Jakarta Legislative Council over the higher parking tariffs, claiming the unannounced hike by the former regime led […]
The Case For Abolishing Parking Tickets
A novel solution to managing parking fines for those found to have overstayed their limit has been proposed by Anam Ardeshiri at the annual Transportation Research Board conference in Washington last month. Mr Ardeshiri claims that the punishment doesn’t fit the crime for an inadvertent misjudgement of time by minutes, compared with those who intentionally run […]
Pango Arrives in Phoenix and New York
The next wave of mobile phone based parking technology is being rolled out across two of America’s most populated cities, New York and Phoenix. Pango, an Israel based company, claims to be the world’s first provider of pay by mobile phone parking solutions, developing the technology to give consumers a convenient and easy way to […]
Free Weekend Parking Trial Halted for Gold Coast Light Rail
A trial to provide free weekend parking in Southport and Surfers Paradise has now been permanently quashed following a review which found that the cost to the city outweighed the benefit to retailers and shoppers. The parking trial was proposed early last year by Councillor Tom Tate as part of his Mayoral election campaign and […]
More parking required for rail project success: Springfield, Brisbane
The site of the Springfield railway station due to open this year. A new rail link south west of Brisbane, spanning The Darra to Springfield will reportedly deliver a major capacity upgrade for the Western Corridor’s transport needs. The project is on track to be delivered by Queensland’s transport Minister on or ahead of time […]
New York City’s parking privatisation on hold
New York City has scrapped a controversial plan to privatise its street-parking management system. The concept was designed to help ease the financial position of the city by generating a steady revenue stream under a leasing arrangement with the private sector, according to the Wall Street Journal. However opposition to the plan was strong, citing […]
Kunming, China, trials ‘no car day’
The city of Kunming in China (the home town of our analyst Sunny Huang) held its first ever ‘no car day’ recently, with private cars not allowed in the city centre. The event was the climax of Kunming’s ‘Urban Public Transport Week’, promoting the city’s bus system and other alternatives to driving private automobiles around […]