The future of parking should be fair, smart and human

Finding a carpark that suits can feel a bit like getting a lottery ticket. Sometimes you win, other times it's not so... useful. But for too many people, coming into Hobart starts with parking anxiety: Where will I park? How much will it cost? Will there be a space close enough to where I need to go? Can I manage it with children, a pram, a wheelchair, a medical appointment, or a tight family budget?

These are not small questions. They are the difference between choosing to come into our city or staying away.

Hobart City Council has already taken a first step. The EasyPark app lets drivers pay for parking from their phone and live on-street availability is coming to the city. That is a start. But paying from your phone is not the same as finding the right space. A digital meter is still just a meter.

The next step is to move from availability to suitability. We need to graduate from telling people where a space is, to helping people find the space that actually works for them.

Imagine a parking planning tool that connects every public parking space across the city in a meaningful context. You could instruct an app your expected movements such as when you need to arrive, how long you need to stay, how far you are able to walk. You could factor in what size vehicle your drive (for bigger parking spaces), and your prepared parking budget for the day. The app would automatically charge a lower price if you have a healthcare or seniors card. A parent with small children could find a wider space with level footpath access. A person using a wheelchair could find an accessible space close to their destination.

And just like UBER the prices of the parking could alter depending on the demand and time of day, but allow you to keep up to date with those changes as they occur. You could bring up a map displaying all the empty spaces in real time in the City.

That is not indulgence. That is good city planning. That’s the kind of thing keeps the city thriving.

There is also a practical case. Research by UCLA urban planning professor Donald Shoup has found that in city centres around 30 percent of traffic is made up of drivers circling the block looking for a space which contributes to congestion. This results in wasted fuel (which none us can afford now!), and unnecessary emissions. I think we would all prefer to spend less time in our cars and more time doing what we need to do in the city!

Innovation like this requires strong privacy provisions. Concession-based pricing must be fair and transparent. Accessibility features must be co-designed with the people who rely on them. For those of us frustrated with current parking meters we all know that awkward technology interfaces can be a barrier to use!

But none of that is a reason to avoid innovation. It is a reason to do it properly.

We cannot keep treating parking as though the only choices are more meters, higher fees, or fewer spaces. A modern capital city should be able to help a pensioner find an affordable space, a parent find a practical one, a worker plan their day, a visitor avoid confusion, and a person with disability access the city with dignity.

That is the future of parking. And I hope it becomes the future of parking in Hobart.

Alderman Louise Bloomfield

Chair City Economy Committee

Chair Accessibility Committee