First EPA-POLIS Webinar
On 6 October 2021 EPA and the POLIS Network kicked off their joint webinar series discussing the future of urban parking.
Urban mobility is at a critical juncture. As urban transport shifts towards active travel, public transport and e-mobility, parking must not just respond to these changes, but facilitate these cleaner, smarter modes of travel. The parking sector has the knowledge, experience and technology to deliver.
This first webinar, "On-street and kerbside vehicle management: Parking as a tool enabling the transition to sustainable urban mobility" which drew over 200 registrations, brought together viewers from cities, industry partners and other stakeholders. It heard from cities across Europe about how they are adapting parking strategies for emissions reduction targets, the rise of e-mobility and active travel, as well as responding to pandemic induced travel shifts.
This webinar explored the solutions. From Lisbon to Oxford, cities discussed parking solutions for cars and delivery vans, as well as the setup of EV charging services, access management, permits, seamless payment… and more!
“Parking and curbside management are intimately linked to logistics, multimodal travel, ITS and many more aspects of urban mobility”, said Laurence A. Bannerman president of the EPA.
“With these webinars we examine parking as an important tool for reaching mobility and climate goals, as we have seen, it is important to integrate new and smart solutions.”
Lisbon 
The webinar kicked off with a presentation from the city of Lisbon, a POLIS member and multiple EPA Parking Award candidate and winner. Parking is a critical issue for the Portuguese capital, with 370,000 vehicles entering city everyday and 200,000 residents’ vehicles, accommodating private vehicles requires flexible and smart solutions.
Although active travel and public transport use is growing, 46% of journeys continue to be completed using private vehicle.
“Parking must be fully articulated within the city’s mobility system,” said Óscar Rodrigues from Lisbon.
Lisbon is pursuing real-time information about on-street and off-street parking as well as new parking adjacent to public transport hubs, in order to encourage multi-modal travel, and chase the city’s goal of 66% of travel via alternative modes. Like many cities, Lisbon has also adapted parking for different uses such as seating- creating flexible and attractive urban spaces.
It is not just private cars which new parking systems will serve. The city is also establishing bike parking below and underground to facilitate the growth in cycle transit.
To demonstrate Lisbon’s dramatic change in parking infrastructure, Mr Rodrigues displayed images of the capital’s main squares; once parking lots, now beautiful pedestrianised areas- with car parking moved centrally under ground and further away from the city centre.
Barcelona 
Barcelona, another EPA Parking Award winner, also joined the webinar to outline how the city is establishing a new roadmap for vehicle parking.
The POLIS member city is one of the densest cities in Europe, therefore it is critical to manage last mile distribution in order to mitigate congestion and air pollution.
The city’s Last Mile strategic approach takes into account logistics, public space, sustainability and other values, trialling new solutions through a range of pilots.
“Our parking spaces are used by a range of individuals from delivery drivers to service providers and residents,” said Daniel Aicart, Head of Strategic Planning and Analysis
New parking solutions are being constructed around changes in mobility and freight patterns including electric vehicles, micro platforms and pick-up points and lockers.
These new models have required creation of robust and transparent relationships between industry and local authorities.
“It is important to have a clear roadmap, and build consensus along the way,” said Aicart.
Milan ATM are on a mission to move parking from the end of a travellers’ journey… to the start!
“We are looking to move to a new paradigm, where parking is not static, but flexible, using urban space in different way” said Roberto Carreri, Research, Development and Digital Innovation Manager at ATM, the public transport company for Milan.
The organisation transports 800 million passengers per year, across 95 municipalities.
Data analysis and digitalisation is at the heart of Milan’s integrated mobility ecosystem. Ensuring parking responds to user needs, demand and predictive analysis is essential, creating more effective, convenient, easy, fast and efficient services that saves time and money.
“Digital transformations are driving new parking solutions,” said Carreri.
Milan is currently using a range of parking monitoring devices, including cameras which are able to scan parking permits in real time, while Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is integrating payments onto mobile applications.
The historic city of Oxford is also seeking to implement new parking solutions to deter congestion created by commuter and tourist traffic. The city attracts 7-million day‑time and staying visitors per year, generating £780 million of income for local Oxford businesses; however, this led to rising traffic flows into the city- with around 38,000 vehicles travelling along the arterial routes into the City centre each day.
The city is launching a trial of a National Parking Platform (NPP) based on the Alliance for Parking Data Standards, a publicly owned, not for profit, national facility that enables parking operators (public or private) to communicate digitally with Service Providers.
The platform is designed to aggregate information about parking space availability provided by car park operators and local authorities.
Operators will be able to digitise compliance monitoring without the need for local digital infrastructure, as well as publicise occupancy in real time, while service providers will be able to Pay Operators for parking without the need for a contract with each one.
“This will benefit the council, it will bring a shift towards cashless payments across the county, as well as better service for the user,” said Emma Liptrot, Deputy Civil Enforcement Manager at Oxford City Council.
The webinar then travelled to another UK city, Colchester. The city is preparing to adapt their parking infrastructure in response to pandemic induced changes in mobility and structural limitations created by the city’s Roman urban geography.
Colchester expanded its cycle lanes during the pandemic, which link railway stations, the city centre and key services.
“The pandemic may have changed the way we work forever,” said Richard Walker. “So, we are looking for new ways to use these spaces.
Colchester is currently trialling ‘Park Active’, a scheme, developed by the British Parking Association, which is replacing road space with cycle parking, responding to the rapid rise in cycling in the UK- which rose by almost 50% during the pandemic.
The city has not stopped here, parking is continually evolving.
“We are continually expanding our bicycle, scooter and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as implementing lockers, to allow people to shop in the town centre, without requiring parking within close proximity,” said Walker.
The final presentation came from the Polish city of Krakow, one of the cities involved in the Park4SUMP project.
Car travel accounts for almost 40% of transit in the city, however, the city is working to shift this modal share.
Krakow is working on metropolitan SUMP with its 15 municipalities, which addresses transport policy, parking and an Integrated Transport Plan.
The city’s new parking program looks to integrate transit modes and open up public space, while continuing to meet demand.
The program has needed to overcome a range of challenges, including lack of agreement with shopping centre managements and delays in park and ride investments; however, the city is now reviewing the parking plans to ensure parking enabled active travel and moves towards increased use of off street solutions.
Key takeaways:
- Integrated urban mobility strategies are the responsibility of the local authorities and a key enabler is the vehicle parking management activity.
- Engage citizens in the parking process: Smart and flexible parking solutions are required, but in order to encourage compliance, citizens need to be engaged in the establishment of this infrastructural change..
- Digitisation is essential: To create fast and flexible parking, online payments and real time monitoring, digital platforms and data management is key.
- Manging tourist traffic: As tourists begin to flock to city’s again, visitor parking must be managed effectively, combined with encouraging use of active travel and public transport.
- Accommodating electric vehicles: e-mobility is on the rise, prompting a need for rapid changes in on-street charging facilities. Cities are currently rolling out fast charging on street, while reserving off-street spaces for slower charging.
- Communication: communicating changes in parking are key to ensuring users understand new uses of space and payment methods. This requires use of signage, social media, websites and other digital and physical channels.
- Continuing to accommodate vulnerable travellers: As parking is moved away from urban centres and payment is digitalised, disabled drivers and others, must continue to have their needs served.
EPA-POLIS Webinar Program
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11.00 |
Opening & Welcome – Laurence Bannerman, President EPA |
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11.05 |
The City of Lisbon – “MOVE LISBOA – strategic visions for mobility 2030: Oscar Rodrigues Director of EMEL (Lisbon’s Mobility and Parking Company). |
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11.20 |
The City of Barcelona – A brief integrated vehicle management overview and a new Last Mile Strategic Approach: Anna Xicoy, Vice General Manager Operations – Daniel Aicart Head of Strategic Planning and Analysis, BSM S.A. |
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11.35 |
The City of Milan – The centralised mobility platform managing and implementing integrated parking services supporting mobility strategies: Roberto Carreri, Director of Research, Development and Digital Innovationn, ATM Spa. Milan. |
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11.50 |
Questions and Answers |
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12.00 |
The City of Oxford – Oxfordshire County Council in Collaboration with the National Parking Platform: Emma Liptrot, Deputy Civil Enforcement Manager – Permits and Park & Ride Services Oxfordshire County Council |
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12.15 |
The City of Colchester – The Park Active Project encouraging inner city last mile active travel for citizens: Richard Walker, North Essex Parking Partnership Group Manager |
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12.30 |
City of Krakow – "Parking policies enabling new mobility solutions – results and acceptance: Tomasz Zwolinski, Chief Mobility Specialist, Urban Utilities Department, The City of Krakow. |
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12.45 |
Questions and Discussions |
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13.00 |
Closing of the Webinar |
The webinar will be moderated by Ivo Cre, the Director of Policy & Projects at POLIS.
Information about the Speakers
Oscar Rodrigues
CV
Born in Lisbon in 1969. Director of EMEL (Lisbon’s Mobility and Parking Company) with more than 20 years of experience in parking operations management. Is nowadays responsible for On-Street and Off-Street Parking in Lisbon, working also in strategic planning and international areas. Was part of the team that built Lisbon’s plan for Electric Mobility, under the scope of Governmental Program “Mobi.e” and contributed to the municipal strategic vision for mobility 2030 “MOVE LISBOA”. Deeply concerned about sustainable urban mobility and parking management with participation in several international congresses and meetings. Was the first european getting the “CAPP – Certified Administrator of Public Parking” by International Parking and Mobility Institute and UVA University (USA).
Abstract of Presentation
Mobility in urban areas is changing very quickly, with new solutions, new needs and new policies. Parking is a key player in this process, must be fully articulated with new city trends, adjusting supply for residents, visitors and logistics, and using parking as the unmoval part of the mobility chain connected with public transports, sharing vehicles system and bike solutions. Priority should be given to more sustainable vehicles and parking spaces must be used for a multi-use purpose, for pedestrians, public transports corridors, bike lanes, sharing and charging stations. The city of Lisbon strategic plan will reduce progressively the supply for surface parking in the city centre, promoting long term parking facilities for “park and Ride” solutions in the borders and outskirts and using these areas as “Multimode Mobility Hub’s” connected with Public transports and sharing modes interfaces.
Anna Xicoy
CV
Anna is the Vice General Manager and the Chief Operations Officer of Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM). She is also the responsible for the IT technical services department of the company.BSM is a public company of the Barcelona City Council that manages mobility services such as the city’s on- and off- street parking network, shared mobility (bicing) and the public network of charging points for electric vehicles.She joined BSM in 2013 in order to lead different BSM strategic plans, such as costumer experience and costumer knowledge, services integration and digitalization, environmental sustainability in operations and new mobility impact in cities. Anna is a member of the Strategic Committee of the European Parking Association and, before joining BSM, she has developed her professional career in finance, telecommunications, sports and culture.
Daniel Aicart
CV
Daniel Aicart is the Head of Strategic Planning and Analysis at Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM), a company fully owned by the Barcelona City Council. In the area of mobility, BSM manages a variety of services such as on-street regulated parking, off-street parking facilities, a bike sharing service and the largest electric vehicle charging network in Spain. With a background in Aeronautical Engineering and Economics, Daniel has 9+ years of experience in consulting and project management, primarily focused on strategic planning and corporate development. Prior to joining BSM, Daniel worked as Senior Consultant at ALG, involved in transactions for infrastructure operators, airlines, governments, multi-lateral development agencies and investment funds across Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. In the airlines sector, Daniel worked as Internal Auditor for Vueling Airlines in Barcelona and British Airways in London.
Abstract of Presentation
Cities around the world are facing challenges related to last mile delivery, which has grown very significantly in recent years as a result of the boost of e-commerce. Last mile delivery is an essential activity but it is also a source of negative externalities such as pollution, noise and indiscipline in the use of public space. Barcelona, as one of the densest cities in Europe, has understood the importance of defining a roadmap towards a new last mile model based on the consensus of the different economic, institutional and social stakeholders.
Roberto Carreri
CV
In ATM since 1998, he is now Head of Research, Development and Digital Innovation within the Information Systems, Telecommunications and Ticketing Systems Department. In this role, he reports directly to the group CIO and is responsible for the structure responsible for supporting the business lines, with the aim of generating value from the needs analysis. He directly followed the implementation of the Milan AreaC system and its channels for the purchase of access tickets via SMS, parking meters, ticket offices, website, bank branches, resales; the development of new payment channels to support the TPL ticket sales network such as the introduction of the new QRCode electronic ticket via mobile App and SMS, the integration and management of parking payment systems via mobile APP and parking meters, management of the electronic magnetic ticketing system, management of the travel planner engine (GiroMilano) and all the mobility services contained therein, the introduction of innovative information and communication systems to the public based on digital signage technologies.
Abstract of Presentation
Parking as the start of a fast, convenient and sustainable journey! Parking has always represented the end of a journey: ATM transforms parking into the point of departure and not the end of the journey. ATM guarantees the availability of efficient mobility services, ensuring their correct use and providing opportunities to save time and money.The travel experience thus becomes the focal point for the traveller's choice, who will have at his disposal a wide and exclusive range of intermodal mobility services at a convenient price through the use of green-friendly vehicles.ATM's expertise in the governance of its operations and its investments in parking system technologies enables it to make these services available to city users and local administrations.
Richard Walker
CV
Richard Walker manages a local authority Parking Partnership in North Essex, based at Colchester in the East of England, UK, covering on-street parking and car parks. Richard has worked in the parking sector since 1999, is a director of the British Parking Association, also chairs a software user group, the positive parking agenda group and a regional parking manager’s group.
Abstract of Presentation
Park Active is a British Parking Association initiative which repurposes long-stay parking a short distance from the town centre and encourages Active Travel as the last part of the journey. Colchester has implemented this scheme as a pilot project. I will discuss the impact of the pandemic on long stay parking, how Park Active fits into our Parking Strategy, how we have promoted this project, and links to other active travel initiatives. I will set out the location criteria for finding a good site, how some barriers have been overcome, a little more about the launch of the first scheme and some ideas which others can use if they are thinking about implementing a similar scheme themselves.
Emma Liptrot
CV
Emma has 24 years’ experience within the Parking Sector primarily in the implementation and management of resident permit parking schemes and the operations and maintenance of our Park & Ride sites. Oxfordshire County Council operates under Civil Enforcement Powers, the Traffic Management Act 2004, and the Road Transport Act 2000 for Bus Lane contraventions and my role further extends to overseeing appeal processes as required under Statutory Legislation.
Abstract of Presentation
Oxfordshire County Council are participating in a localised trial to enable the testing of the National Parking Platform software to help prove its concept. The National Parking Platform is designed to aggregate information about parking space availability provided by car park operators and local authorities. Oxfordshire County Council have contracted with three participating Service Providers for the course of the trial, which will be one year, in an on-street section of Oxford City Centre that comprises of 160 parking spaces. This is a heavily used parking facility however time is limited to a maximum of 2 hours thus creating a high turnover of users. The intention of the NPP is that car parking operators and Service Providers nationally would use this software to create a "one stop shop" for members of the public to identify and pay for available parking. The offer to partake in a trial with the National Parking Platform has been welcomed as amongst other important factors under our Transport Policy, it will enable us to understand consumer activity, behaviours, and more importantly help to reduce carbon emissions.
Tomasz Zwolinski
CV
Tomasz has 20 years of experience in transport system planning, urban planning, traffic modelling, air pollution modelling, road and traffic engineering. Specific experience (2 years) under bicycle network planning and designing. Project manager of up to 10 EU-financed projects in the field of urban mobility (since 2004). He has been recently involved in the projects Park4Sump, CH4LLENGE, Push & Pull and CIVITAS II – CARAVEL. Tomasz is experienced in implementation, dissemination, evaluation and financial management of research and infrastructural projects. His main expertise is the implementation of sustainable mobility projects.
Abstract of Presentation
The presentation will cover development of the overall parking policy and transport policy in the City of Krakow, with the new ideas and solutions dealing with the so called 'core funding mechanism' to finance sustainable mobility solutions. Also the topic of how the national law changes enabled Polish cities to use parking as a more efficient tool towards sustainable transport policies. Krakow was also one of the first cities in Europe to conduct the parking policy audit ParkPAD, within the framework of the CIVITAS PARK4SUMP project. Main results, recommendations for the city and lessons learned from the audit process will also be covered. Finally some insights into the currently developed update of the parking programme for the city, adopted by the City Council already in 2012.
