Imagine a city where housing is more affordable and clean; where efficient and convenient public transport thrives; and where emissions are falling. While these may seem like lofty goals, a key part of the solution lies in parking reform. By rethinking how we use urban space, we can address two of the biggest challenges of our time: climate change and housing affordability. And in doing so, we can make our cities more liveable and resilient.
Urban planning in Australia has long prioritised cars. Mandating large amounts of space for parking has had far-reaching consequences on our cities, environment and lifestyles. That's why car parking reform can be a powerful tool in promoting climate action, affordable housing and more liveable and resilient cities. Here are just six reasons that I can think of.
Reducing Emissions and Car Dependency
Excessive parking availability promotes car use and emissions. European cities like Paris are leading change by actively restricting car parks and cars in urban areas. Paris has removed thousands of on-street parking spaces, repurposing this land for bike lanes, pedestrian zones and green spaces. Copenhagen, known as the "cycling capital of the world," has done the same.
Combating Urban Sprawl
Parking mandates contribute to sprawling developments and roads that consume natural habitat and increase infrastructure needs. Reforming these policies can encourage compact, mixed-use developments, which incentive convenient public transport, are more sustainable and which preserve green spaces.
Cooling Urban Areas
As anyone who’s walked back to a Coles car park on a hot summer day knows, cement and asphalt contribute significantly to the urban heat island effect. They absorb and radiate heat. Reducing parking spaces and replacing them with trees and green spaces does the opposite, making cities more liveable while also reducing energy consumption for cooling.
Lowering Construction Costs
Building parking spaces is expensive. They cost tens of thousands of dollars per space in high-rise and high density apartment complexes. These costs are passed on to buyers and renters, thus inflating housing prices and the cost-of-living. By eliminating parking mandates, cities like Brisbane have reduced apartment costs by up to $100,000.
Freeing Up Land for Housing
It's a no-brainer that land allocated to parking reduces the supply of land available for housing and other uses. Parking reform can allow this land to be repurposed for residential development. In Sydney, the Inner West Council is planning to convert car parks into affordable housing. Similarly, cities like Paris have prioritised people over cars and created more housing and vibrant public spaces.
Supporting Diverse Urban Economies
Restricting car parks and prioritising active transport like cycling and walking fosters local economies. Small businesses thrive in pedestrian-friendly areas. And mixed-use developments create more opportunities for work and housing within urban areas. Allowing more mixed-use development also reduces the need for people to own and use cars - if they can buy milk or fruit and veggies walking distance from home, why would they drive to the supermarket? Japan’s mixed-use planning laws incentivise this. In Tokyo there’s only one car for every three households - people don’t need cars there.
Examples of Success
Around the world, cities are adopting parking reform to transform urban living.
Paris: Mayor Anne Hidalgo has spearheaded efforts to restrict cars and repurpose parking. Thousands of on-street spaces have been converted to bike lanes and green spaces. This has incentivised cycling and reduced traffic emissions, making Paris a global leader in sustainable urban planning and improving air quality.
Copenhagen: By prioritising cycling infrastructure and limiting car parking, Copenhagen has become a model for sustainable transport. Cycling accounts for half of all commutes there.
California: The state recently eliminated parking mandates for developments near public transit, encouraging denser housing and reducing car dependency.
Boston: Parking minimums for affordable housing developments were removed, facilitating creation of more units, encouraging sustainable growth and incentivising public transport.
The Big Picture
Parking reform is about more than cars and parking - it’s about creating cities that prioritise people, nature, sustainability, and affordability. By reducing car dependency, cutting emissions, and freeing up land for housing and public spaces, parking reform is a win-win. Three-quarters of Australians live in major cities. Sydney’s population alone is expected to grow by one million in the next fifteen years. So there’s not only potential, but an urgent need, to invest in car parking reform.
So next time you find yourself in a sprawling car park, ask the question: Could this land be better used? The answer is almost always yes. It’s time to move beyond car-first planning and embrace parking reform as a no-brainer for a better future.
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