Climate change: what’s car parking got to do with it?
The problem.
We need to drastically reduce our car use to reach our climate goals. Cars are parked for 95% of their lifespan, and every car journey starts and ends with a car parking space. This got us thinking!
Cars dominate our public space. For example, streets make up 80% of London’s public spaces. Even in inner cities where most people do not own cars, almost all of our kerbside prioritises cars over the needs of people.
Sometimes cars creep onto pavements and snatch away the already limited space for those who are walking and wheeling; this makes walking and wheeling really unappealing, prevents people with wheelchairs, buggies and guide dogs from getting around easily and safely - even forcing them into the dangerous roads - and reinforces the desire to drive even short journeys.
The issues caused by prioritising cars in public spaces - such as carbon emissions, air pollution, road danger, noise and reinforcing inactive lifestyles - have adverse effects for us all, whether we own a car or not. We don’t think that’s fair.
Road with cars parked along both sides.
Parking space has been replaced with planters, chairs and table. A child is sitting on bench, reading.
The solution.
Research shows that the availability, accessibility and cost of parking has a more significant impact on car ownership rates than costs like insurance and fuel. Parking policy is therefore key to combating the climate crisis, improving air quality, promoting active, shared, and sustainable travel, making transport more accessible, and delivering safe and attractive streets.
Parking policy sits firmly within the control of local authorities so can be used to enact big change at a local level.
But not all local authorities are using parking policy to full effect. Council policies often deal primarily with permits and enforcement - even though their role is much wider. As the local highway and local traffic authority, local authorities can:
Control parking on residential streets, in town centres and other destinations, and are responsible for good management of streets and pavements.
Manage housing estates, with the power to control parking.
Operate public car parks.
Set parking levels in new developments; and for front-garden parking.
Hold the power to introduce local workplace parking levies on employers with workplace parking.
A good local authority parking policy should bring all of this together seamlessly with objectives on the environment, transport, the public realm and the economy.
Good parking policy can benefit our health, the environment, as well as making it easier for those who own cars to park near their homes by getting rid of commuter and destination parking.
Road with no parked cars, people are tending to trees planted where car parking space would have been.
Young people planting crops in roadside planters.
Two ways you can take action:
1) Assess the parking policy in your local area.
We have created a simple online tool to help campaigners, residents, councillors and council officers in high density, urban areas to assess their local parking policies, and produce a Parking Action Plan which they can use to advocate for taking space away from cars and giving it back to people and nature. You’ll need to find various documents on your council’s website to do the assessment but we’ll take you through the whole process.
2) Email your local council about their parking policy.
Depending on where you live, you may feel your local authority does not have a parking policy worth subjecting to detailed analysis or you may not have time to assess the parking policy in your area. If so, we’ve made it quick and easy for you to send your local authority an email to ask them to review their parking policies for the sake of people and the planet.
