The scarcity of street parking accommodation in Central London at the beginning of 1965 was greater than ever before. In May, 1965, parking meter charges in certain areas of Central London were increased. Park-and-visit' tests at specific addresses and traffic speed test on selected street routes were carried out by the Laboratory within the areas affected by the increase and within areas where the charge remained unchanged, both before and after the increase came into effect. Results from 'park and visit' tests showed that (A) the scarcity of vacant parking meter spaces remained unchanged where meter charged remained uncharged, and (B) the savings in the times required to search for a vacant meter, to n=manoeuvre the vehicle, and to walk to and from the address visited, were more substantial and consistent where charges were quadrupled than where they were doubled. Traffic speed tests showed no important change in traffic speed after the meter charges were increased. The observed improvement in the availability of parking meters was the immediate, and not necessarily permanent, effect of the increased charges.
Abstract