Intelligent park and ride enforcement

Summary

In Ghent there is no clear distinction between the parking facilities for fairground visitors and public transport users when entering the park & ride (P&R) parking site. The city will improve the situation by designing and implementing an intelligent P&R guidance system.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Currently, access to the P&R car park is not controlled by physical obstructions nor is there a noticeable architectural distinction between the P&R section and the other car parks. Furthermore, there is no integration with the use of public transport by means of real-time arrival and departure times, well priced tickets or an integrated ticketing and access system. This leads to unauthorised use of the parking spaces by those who visit the grounds for fairground activities and therefore should pay for the use of a parking spot in any of the fairground car parks. The measure will allow Ghent to identify practical solutions that will solve these issues without inconveniencing those that use the P&R car park correctly. These people will be rewarded and other motorists will be encouraged to use the service as they can combine the cost of accessing the P&R car park with the use of public transport.

Progress

The objective of this measure was to enable the full use of P+R parking by PT users by decreasing the improper use of the (cheaper) P+R parking by fairground visitors, and to offer a complementary service to the public transport chain. The preliminary solution for the next few years comes down to: • closing off the parking lot entrance with a barrier gate, • issuing a parking ticket to every motorist entering the parking lot, • each ticket serves as a valid public transport card, and • has to be paid for and validated before leaving the parking lot.

The proposed solution will meet the expectations with regards to preventing the improper use of the parking lot: i.e. people who use the P+R parking lot as a free alternative to the surrounding parking lots where a paid parking regime is in effect. This scheme will discourage them because they will have to overcome two new barriers: • the parking lot will be closed off physically, and • everyone will have to pay to make use of the parking facilities.

There was a deviation from the original plan:The location of P+R became unsure due to development of surrounding site into a factory outlet center and other activity poles. The location of P+R depends on whether or not a tunnel will be dug next to the current location. Different parties developing the site on which P+R terrain is located, appointed an expert to investigate the situation further. Contradicting views resulted in the decision being delayed. The installation of the parking equipment is useless until a location is known. For this reason the measure has been proposed to discontinue in the 4th amendment. However, work as installation, evaluation and better indication of the P+R (traffic signs) will continue after the CIVITAS period on GCC costs.

Outcomes

This measure has been stopped in the 3rd working year of Civitas Plus

The measure will not be implemented during CIVITAS. The location of P+R became unsure due to development of surrounding site into a factory outlet center and other activity poles. The location of P+R depends on whether or not a tunnel will be dug next to the current location. Different parties developing the site on which P+R terrain is located, appointed an expert to investigate the situation further. Contradicting views resulted in the decision being delayed. The installation of the parking equipment is useless until a location is known. For this reason the measure has been proposed to discontinue in the 4th amendment. However, work as installation, evaluation and better indication of the P+R (traffic signs) will continue after the Civitas period on GCC costs.