Major UK city to rip up car parks in bid to ‘manage demand’ for petrol and diesel cars
Parking could be removed from one of the UK's largest cities after a new Transport Plan unveils a bold new approach.
Birmingham has plans to get rid of thousands of car park spaces in a bid to reduce the number of private petrol and diesel cars driving into the city.
The move is part of Birmingham City Council's new Transport Plan which details widespread parking changes set to affect residents and tourists.
According to the document, parking updates will be used to “manage demand” for car travel across the city.
Existing car park space is set to be “put to more productive use” with the council evaluating sites across the city.
The Transport Plan reads: “Parking will be used as a means to manage demand for travel by car through availability, pricing and restrictions.
“Where development potential exists, land currently occupied by car parking will be put to more productive use.
“All car journeys begin and end with parking. Therefore, managing demand for parking is a central means of managing demand for travel by car.”
The rule is set to affect the 94 percent of UK motorists who have the keys to a petrol or diesel vehicle and the also be a thorn in the side of electric car owners.
According to the Transport Plan, there has already been a staggering reduction in council-owned car park spaces with around 2,500 lost each year since 2012.
However, future delivery components will include a major review of all parking provisions across the city centre.
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The report states that some car parks could be released for more efficient uses such as the building of new housing estates.
As part of the changes, free parking will be removed from neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city centre and within the A4540 Ring Road.
The council feels that managing the demand for parking rests on four simple tests. This ranges from how many parking spaces are available and for how long? Who is parking available to and how much a ticket will cost?
The report added: “Getting the balance right between the four parameters will help to manage demand for parking and, ultimately, management of the demand for travel by car.
“The aim is to introduce a more precise and consistent method of parking demand management, which supports the delivery of this Plan. Managing demand through parking measures is strongly connected to reallocating road space.”
Parking changes are just one element of Birmingham’s new Transport Plan with a big focus on reducing the reliance on private cars. The new proposals are designed to reduce deaths and injuries on the road and make the city “more hospitable to people”.
Councillor and transport boss Liz Clements added: “We need to reclaim Birmingham’s streets and public spaces for people, not cars.
"The majority of travel time in the city is spent in these spaces, yet many of our local streets are congested, unhealthy and uninviting environments.
“For too long the needs of motorised vehicles have been prioritised over the needs of people and this must change. Our streets should be well-designed, attractive and sustainable places to live.”