PARKING GUIDANCE SYSTEM

“Aalborg's parking guidance system is based on real time information of

the number of unoccupied parking places in each parking facility of the
system. Parking information is displayed on number of Variable Message Signs
(VMS) on the main roads leading to the city centre as well as on the circular
roads around the city centre. The circular roads distribute car traffic to the
parking spaces on the periphery of the city centre.

The parking guidance system embraces 9 parking facilities (7 parking

grounds and 2 parking houses) containing around 3000 parking spaces around
the city centre. A total of 39 VMS and 8 conventional signs are linked to the
system.

BEHAVIORAL IMPACTS

 Changes in travel patterns

Prior to the implementation of the parking information system 21% of

visiting car traffic did not find an unoccopied parking space at the given
parking facility. After the implementation of the information system this
number has been reduced to 9%. About 7% of motorists stated that their
parking habits changed. Some 97% of users of the parking facilities said
that they would have made their journey even if the parking information
system had not been installed; while 3% answered that they now carry
out more trips and park more often in the city centre area. The
occupancy rate and average parking duration are similar before and after
the installation of the parking information system.

 Changes in public perceptions and attitudes

A survey of Aalborg motorists showed that:
o 67% of car users found the system to be an improvement;
o 47% found the system's information to be trustworthy - 23% do
not;
 o the amount of motorists who found the parking information either
“Very good” or “Good” increased from 33% to 47%;
o the amount of motorists who found it "Very easy" or "Easy" to find
a parking space has increased from 44% to 51%.

EFFICIENCY IMPACTS

 Reduction in vehicle-km

The total amount of reduced vehicle-kilometres is 930 km/day, or

equivalent to 232,500 car-km per year (assuming 250 work days a year).
Compared to the total amount of vehicle-km in the city centre this is
equivalent to about 0.3%.

 Reduction in average journey time

Assuming an average travel speed of 30 km/h, the reduction in average

journey time as a result of the parking information system has been
calculated to 7,750 hours per year.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Parking information affects only a minor segment of all private car transport in
Aalborg. For all pollutants the reductions are about 0.1% of total. Although the
overall percentage reduction may seem to be small, they take place in some of
the most environmentally loaded and sensitive roads of the city.

 Energy
The parking information system's effect on private car energy consumption
originates from reductions in parking search traffic. It has been calculated
that the parking information system has led to a reduction in private car
fuel and energy consumption by about 0.1%.”
IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

Through this measure the City of Aalborg has extended and improved the
real-time Parking Information System on the parking network in the city
centre. A Parking Information System designed to reduce unnecessary
circulation by giving more targeted and more comprehensive information to
parking searching drivers. The main objectives of the measure are to:

 Reduce car traffic in certain areas;

 Enhance accessibility to the city centre and the commercial area on the
outskirts of the city; and
 Achieve a modal shift away from the private car towards public
transport, walking and cycling.

The current parking guidance system dates from the mid-1990s. It needs a
thorough review, especially bearing in mind the re-development of the
waterfront in the coming years where parking demand is predicted to rise
dramatically.

HOW DID THE MEASURE PROGRESS?

According to the initial Description of Work it was also planned to design

and implement a revised parking charge structure, and thereby reduce long-
time parking in the city centre. This would free parking spaces for short-term
parking and thus reduce the parking-searching traffic. Due to political reasons
this part of the measure could not be implemented within the ARCHIMEDES
project period.

The old system providing parking information to drivers searching for

parking, designed in the 90s, did not include all the new parking areas in the
city centre and was technologically outdated. In the CIVITAS project a revision
and redesign of the complete system have been done, in collaboration with the
owners of private parking areas. The aim has been to avoid unnecessary
kilometres driven in search for parking areas in the most congested areas of
the city. This is achieved by informing the drivers about free parking spaces in
the closest parking areas, avoiding through traffic in the city centre and saving
time and fuel consumption.

OUTCOMES OF THE MEASURE

Hence, a new and up-scaled Parking Information System has been

implemented and is currently in operation. The results from the evaluation of
the new Parking Information System can be summarised into the following
conclusions:

 Awareness of the new Parking Information System among the users of

the parking went up with 18% (14 pct point) from 78% to 92%, probably
caused by the installation of more signs in the scheme, and the fact that
the new system is more intuitively to understand.
 Both with the old information system still working and after
implementing the new Parking Information System, the information
system made 18% of the users change their choice of car park. This is a
relatively large proportion, indication that the parking Information
system does have a significant effect on reducing search traffic and
congestion around, and especially in, the parking areas.
 On the basis of the change in parking seeking driving, the CO2 emission
was reduced by 71 tons per year.

Overall, there has been a positive effect from the implementation of the new
and up-scaled Parking Information System in Aalborg. A new and coherent
Parking Information System seems to have a positive effect on the parking-
searching traffic flow in midsize cities. However, the following lessons learnt
might be useful for other road authorities: