Regulation of parking and establishing a comprehensive parking policy are for many municipalities a constant discussion and a difficult issue to settle. Establishing a constructive dialogue between politicians, citizens and the business community about parking facilities proves to be difficult.
Parking is an important tool for regulating car use in cities and towns. Parking regulations and guidelines must be included in the area sections of the municipal plans. Nevertheless, only a few Norwegian municipalities have drawn up a comprehensive parking policy where different parking tools are discussed in relation to overall societal goals and goals for urban development, including a plan for prioritizing land use and include different road user groups or user groups that need accessibility by car.
“The Norwegian “Tiltakskatalog for transport og miljø” which is a knowledge base with measures for transport issues, has recently revised two measures on parking. The first measure is a recommendation on how the municipalities can design a comprehensive parking policy (in Norwegian only). Based on a parking project recently completed in Viken County Municipality, practical work over time, and comprehensive research in the field, a step-by-step solution for a comprehensive parking policy has been made. Each step builds on the next.
- Define clear goals and anchor these with political leadership
- Map and obtain updated knowledge about the current situation
- Develop strategies and measures in collaboration with all parties concerned
- Good communication with all concerned parties before implementing measures
How to deal with illegal established parking spaces
Another measure describes how municipalities can proceed to remove illegal parking spaces (in Norwegian only). Available car parking is a key factor that affects the distribution of means of transport and the traffic as a whole. Illegally established car parks can undermine parking as a means of action in land and transport policy. Municipalities and other road owners have several options for following up and removing illegal publicly accessible private parking spaces.
The Norwegian “Tiltakskatalog for transport og miljø” summarizes knowledge about the effects of environmental measures in the area of transport, mainly in cities and towns. The website is ideal for those with little time who at the same time want to be professionally up-to-date.
