Residential parking – effects on car ownership and car use

We have interviewed residents in four of the largest cities in Norway about their parking facilities at home and their travel habits. The majority of residents in the larges cities in Norway have good parking facilities meaning that they are fairly certain that they will find a space to park when returning home. The parking strategies may therefore have had the desired effects. The results also indicate that a reduced supply of parking may lead to lower car ownership and reduced use of the car(s) owned by a household. The access to parking may influence more on how a journey is done (mode choice) than on the choice whether to do the journey or not. If the distance between the residence and the car/parking space increase, the car will be used less.