Every trip ends with a parking act. Up to 30% of cars in a town center are actively looking for a parking space. Systems that enable them to find this quickly and effectively will make a major contribution to reducing congestion and pollution and should be an essential ingredient in any urban traffic policy. Unless action is taken, the result of ITS implementation will be higher flow rates into the town and even worse congestion, as motorists compete for parking spaces. Current Variable Message signs are of limited use, yet could be improved with very little effort, by relating them to the motorists' actual needs. The increasing availability of internet-based traffic information requires predictive systems and these, in turn, require detailed information from parking operators. Historic data is a key component, yet little such data is currently available. Unless there is close co-operation between the car parking industry and those working in ITS, the opportunity to make a major improvement in urban traffic will be lost.
Abstract