Part 13: Parking control

Last updated: December 2007. This document ceases to be a controlled document when printed. Please refer to the current version at www.landtransport.govt.nz

4  Design considerations

4.4  Parking management

In addition to the quantity of parking provided, parking can be managed through a number of interventions such as time restrictions, pricing mechanisms and restricted usage. Fees and time limits are often used to ration and create turnover of spaces where there is a short supply of parking provision relative to demand.

4.4.1   Time limits

As part of the sign requirements for regulation of parking facilities, there are common time restrictions applying to linear or zone parking. The permissible periods of parking are normally in multiples of ‘5 minutes’ and are applied in appropriate situations, generally determined by use.

Time limits help create a turnover of parking spaces, thus maximising opportunities for a greater number of motorists to park their vehicle in locations of high demand.

Short-stay parking facilities are needed for shoppers or visitors to an area who generally require a limited amount of parking time. Where demand exceeds supply for these types of users, alternative arrangements such as off-street facilities or fee-paying systems should be introduced to minimise conflict and congestion on the surrounding road network.

Long-stay parking facilities are appropriate for those drivers who generally park all day, such as commuters. Their demands must be taken into consideration when developing a strategy to ensure commuter parking does not occupy valuable parking areas required by those requiring short-term parking arrangements, such as shoppers and visitors.

Table 4.2 suggests a range of parking durations and appropriate uses. Further information is provided in the Austroads Guide to traffic management, Part 11: Parking.

Where provisions are made for disability parking, consideration should be given to whether the signed time restrictions for adjacent parking facilities are appropriate for the reserved disability spaces. Given mobility problems, the disabled may take longer to travel between the parking area and their destination. The TA may wish to review the time limits imposed on the disabled or review enforcement requirements. For instance, commonly used techniques include applying a 30–60-minute parking extension as a concession to the disabled. Note that a 5-minute (‘P5’) parking restriction should not be used in disabled parking areas.

Table 4.2 Examples of parking durations and use

Duration	Use	Examples
2 mins	Used at locations where people are likely to be picked up and dropped off and vehicle is likely to be attended	Drop-off or pick-up zones for passenger or goods
5–10 mins	Used at locations where people are likely to be picked up and dropped off	Hotels, movie theatres, airports, schools
15 mins	Used at locations where people exit the car for short-duration visits	Single land use facilities, eg dairy, banks
30 mins	Locations with a high turnover of shoppers due to demand	Number of small shops or multi-use shops
1 hour	Where there is a high turnover of shoppers and major demand for parking	Major shopping centres, professional services (eg lawyers, medical centres, accountants)
2 hours	Major demand for parking Resident parking schemes may apply for long-term users	Professional services, shopping centres
4 hours	Used for those areas where all day parking is not desirable	Areas where shopping/professional services apply

4.4.2   Fee-paying systems

As the demand for parking outweighs the supply, there may be a need to incorporate some fee-paying systems to help better manage the parking available within the network. Fees can be effective in ensuring that motorists stay no longer than they need to, which, as with time limits, creates turn-over of the parking space and provides an opportunity for another motorist to use the space.

There are several different types of fee-paying systems for parking, which can be paid for in different ways depending upon the technology available (for instance, being able to insert a coin in a parking meter or pay by cellphone at a Pay and Display machine):

• parking meters
• coupon parking and parking permits (permits issued for specific time periods)
• ticket vending machines – Pay and Display.

The issues associated with using these types of systems are further outlined in section 9. Some of the benefits from introducing fee-paying systems are:

• higher turnover in parking spaces
• better enforcement due to time systems in place
• discouragement of all day parking
• increase of revenue.

4.4.3  Restricted usage

By restricting parking spaces to certain users, such as residents within a defined area, parking can be managed to best address the needs of those who may be affected by ‘stray’ parked vehicles. The restriction of parking to certain groups of people is typically tied in with time restrictions – so that restrictions are in place when area-wide demand would exceed supply, eg during the working day when commuters and shoppers may try to park in residential areas close to the CBD.

When developing residential parking schemes, a balance in parking provision must be sought with any local businesses in the area. An overall parking strategy needs to be developed to incorporate all these issues. See the photo above right for a typical sign used in a coupon parking area.

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