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May 17, 2023

Geelong parking shift

Geelong is joining the growing list of cities moving to demand-based pricing for

Geelong is joining the growing list of cities moving to demand-based pricing for car parking in which drivers will pay more, often much more, for the most popular parking spots.Drivers prepared to park 10 minutes away from their destinations will pay much less.This might lead to more people biking and walking instead of driving to business and shopping districts. A bike trip doesn't necessarily take longer, takes riders to the front door of a business and costs nothing. It has been known for decades that the downtown model of car parking, with flat pricing unrelated to the level of demand, has resulted in increased congestion as drivers circle the block trying to spy a vacant spot close to where they want to be.But with hi-tech sensors and real-time, dynamic price setting, traffic is evaporating in the CBD as more drivers park further away, making the streets more attractive for other users, such as people on foot and on bikes.The new model is proposed in Geelong's new parking strategy out for public comment now.https://yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/CGPSSubmissions close at 11.59pmon Sunday 2 July.The City of Greater Geelong says the new approach aims to provide the best possible experience for those who need parking, while balancing the competing demands for urban space.In development since 2017 and expected to be adopted by the end of this year, the new approach will guide Geelong's parking development for the next 30 years.The city's target occupancy level will be 85%, which means parking will be efficiently utilised with space available for someone who needs it."The technology and data that will be utilised is still being determined and may include sensors, parking meter data, wayfinding signage and the use of advanced tools such as machine learning to predict future parking needs," the City says. "The parking data will be used to monitor the effectiveness of parking controls in each precinct, and to make decisions on how these controls will be adjusted to maintain availability and choice."The strategy reports that drivers have expressed significant frustration when trying to find on-street parking in Geelong, despite data showing there are at least 3000 empty spaces available at any one time across the week.

Geelong, like all cities with too much car parking, has a big sedentary disease problem caused by the lack of physical activity when driving everywhere is habitual.This creates a swag of other problems such as road trauma and poor urban amenity.Cities around the world are reducing downtown parking because low-car environments attract more people, create more street life and greatly boost commercial activity.But you still need parking provision for logistics vehicles, something on which this strategy is silent.There is also no mention of bike parking, or parking for cargo bikes, which take on a bigger role in logistics delivery over the next 30 years.