Solving the problem of car parking in inner city areas

Some public parking lots in the city, especially in inner-city areas, are often overloaded.

"Thirsty" for parking

Mr. Nguyen Van Sang, a service driver, took passengers from Hung Yen province to the City Theater area for sightseeing. After stopping the car for passengers to get off and take photos, he circled the car three times around Hoang Van Thu and Tran Hung Dao streets... but still could not find a parking space according to regulations.

“Every road has no-stopping and no-parking signs, and parking lots are far away or full. Every time I take tourists from far away to Hai Phong city, I feel embarrassed because it takes a lot of time to find a parking space,” said Mr. Sang.

Many wards in the city center such as Hong Bang, Le Chan, Ngo Quyen... are in a state of "narrow land, crowded vehicles". Therefore, the need for parking space is always urgent every day.

While the number of private cars increases rapidly every year, the land fund for static traffic can make parking almost unchanged. On many streets, especially during rush hour, people have to temporarily park their cars on the road, making traffic more stuffy and potentially unsafe.

Ms. Le Thi Hien in residential group No. 5, Le Chan ward stated the current situation: "As a ward in the center of the inner city, with many agencies, businesses, and shops, the ward has few parking lots, so people have to stop and park their cars on both sides of the road. In many cases, cars are even parked on the sidewalk, taking up space for pedestrians."

Too many parked cars narrow the lane for motorbikes and small vehicles on Le Hong Phong Street.

The city currently has very few large-scale public parking lots. Most of the parking lots are located in commercial centers or offices, which only meet a very small part of the actual demand. Ngo Quyen Ward, where many administrative offices, hotels, and schools are located, is also under great pressure due to the lack of parking lots.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hung, Economic , Infrastructure and Urban Affairs Department of the ward said: "The ward has a plan to build a parking lot associated with the housing and commercial service project. However, building a parking lot requires a lot of time and a lot of money." This is a common reality, the inner city area wants to have many parking lots, it will be difficult to do so in a short time.

Creating land funds, encouraging investment

The city is in dire need of more parking lots in the inner city area to avoid traffic congestion and ensure urban aesthetics.

The above reality shows that to solve the parking problem, the city needs to start with planning and mechanisms. First of all, it is necessary to take advantage of public land, vacant land, old factory land or areas that are no longer being exploited to convert the function of parking lots. This not only helps to take advantage of land resources but also contributes to urban beautification.

According to the Department of Construction, the number of private cars in the city increases by an average of 10% each year. Meanwhile, current parking lots and spots only meet a small part of the actual demand.

To overcome this situation, the City People's Committee has assigned the Department of Construction to review and propose locations for public parking lots combined with resettlement to meet the needs of people in the inner city. To date, the Department of Construction has proposed 18 locations with a total area of nearly 23 hectares, concentrated in 3 central wards.

Notably, locations such as the old Niem Nghia bus station (Le Chan ward), Lac Long bus station (Hong Bang ward), land plot No. 22 Tran Khanh Du and No. 2 Nguyen Trai (Ngo Quyen ward) were all approved by the City People's Council in principle for investment projects to build infrastructure for resettlement areas and parking lots.

When completed, these projects will contribute to urban beautification, reduce traffic pressure and create a civilized and modern appearance for the inner city area.

According to Mr. Dang The Phuong, Permanent Vice President of Hai Phong Transport Association, with limited land fund, the city should develop underground, semi-underground and multi-storey parking lots in the central area, combining utilities such as car washes, quick maintenance, and convenience stores.

Some countries and large cities in the country have applied this model very effectively, both saving space and creating sustainable revenue. Along with that, the socialization of investment needs to be promoted more strongly.

The city can pilot a public-private partnership model, in which the state supports procedures, planning, tax incentives and land lease, while businesses undertake design, construction and operation. When there is a reasonable risk-sharing mechanism, investors will be willing to invest.

In addition, the application of smart technology in parking management is an inevitable trend. When people can look up, book and pay by phone, the situation of cars stopping and parking everywhere will be significantly reduced.

The city needs to soon pilot the system in the central wards before expanding it. Along with that, parking fees also need to be calculated appropriately. In the central area, a higher rate can be applied to regulate demand, while at the same time supporting people in the suburban areas with a lower rate.

Revenue from parking fees should be reinvested in maintenance, infrastructure management and development of new parking lots, creating a reasonable and transparent cycle.

HAI MINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/giai-bai-toan-bai-do-xe-o-to-khu-vuc-noi-do-525715.html