The objectives of this research were to investigate how parking problems in residential areas might be affected by the growth in car ownership forecast by the Department of Transport, to explore possible solutions. Although national statistics on parking are somewhat fragmentary, they provide overall estimates of the supply of residential parking space and the demand for it, and, in combination with car ownerhship forecasts a broad brush picture of future developments. Interviews with officers of a sample of local authorities, indicated what were their most pressing parking concerns, and what policies were being developed to counter current problems, and how development standards were being applied to new were being applied to new residential areas. Surveys in a number of residential areas with typical parking problems provided estimates of amounts of actual and potential parking space, both on-street and on private property. Details of household size, car ownership, and parking were collected from residents, and opinions were sought on parking difficulties, and possible responses to increasing difficulties. Relationships between demand density, parking difficulty and behaviour were investigated, and estimates made of the effects of conversion of all potential space to parking. The possibilities of a market in residential off-street parking are also explored. (A)
Abstract