More parking options by opening up private parking spaces

A recent analysis by the Agora Verkehrswende think tank shows that cities can create more parking options by opening up private parking spaces to other user groups. Customer and company parking spaces in residential and mixed-use areas that are used during the day but are empty in the evening, when demand for parking spaces for private cars is at its highest, are particularly promising.

The analysis suggests that often only minor adjustments are necessary to tap this potential. It shows ways in which local authorities can identify suitable locations and cooperate with parking space owners.

"Owners, municipalities and motorists alike can benefit from the multiple use of parking spaces," said Wiebke Zimmer, Deputy Director of Agora Verkehrswende. She emphasized that many cities are experiencing rising vehicle registration figures and that additional parking spaces can often only be created by building expensive underground or neighborhood garages. A higher utilization of existing, private parking spaces is more cost-effective and can reduce parking search traffic and illegal parking, especially in densely built-up areas, as well as creating space for more quality of life and greenery or pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

Owners of parking spaces can benefit from additional income and an improved image. Many businesses also offer charging points for electric vehicles in their parking lots. If these are also used overnight, operation is more economical and the availability of publicly accessible charging infrastructure increases. Craft businesses and other tradespeople who rely on parking spaces and charging points near their company locations can also benefit from the multiple use of parking spaces.

Wolfgang Aichinger, project manager for urban mobility at Agora Verkehrswende, recommends that local authorities should approach owners and offer cooperation. The operation could be taken over by specialized service providers. Which parking spaces are suitable and how multiple use is regulated ultimately depends on the individual case. Aichinger emphasizes that parking space management in the surrounding area is important for economic operation: "The more parking in scarce public spaces is given an appropriate price and is tied to parking permits, the more attractive parking in the often numerous but previously underutilized private parking spaces becomes."

The full analysis "Parking after work and closing time. Why it pays to make multiple use of parking space in office buildings, retail outlets and apartment buildings and how local authorities can promote this" is available to download free of charge at Agora Verkehrswende

Agora Verkehrswende is a think tank for climate-neutral mobility based in Berlin. The non-partisan and non-profit organization is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector to zero in dialogue with politics, business, science and civil society. Agora Verkehrswende was initiated in early 2016 by the Mercator Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. The two foundations are partners.