A look at Gibraltar`s parking dilemma.

Gibraltar is on the verge of a building boom again. Just look at the number of planning applications that have been submitted in the last twelve months. And then consider the schemes being discussed which are on the brink of submission. Great news to keep the economy and government revenue flowing.

However, just think of the number of additional cars being added to Gibraltar´s road system. That’s because with every property built, residential or commercial, it is a normal requirement in Gibraltar for additional parking spaces to be provided to accommodate the cars of the new property occupants.

Sounds obvious to build more parking spaces for each new apartment and new office built. Indeed, build new public parking facilities in as many places as possible. That’s conventional wisdom.

But say there are 3,000 new residential units built in the next five years with 4,500 parking spaces created as a result. Say, there is an 80% occupancy of these parking spaces by the new apartment occupants. That’s 3,600 new cars to be absorbed into Gibraltar’s road system. Then add the parking spaces being built to accommodate the general local rule of one parking space for every 180 square metres of office space. Garage owners will be smiling from ear to ear at the thought of supplying, maintaining and refuelling these new cars. Investing in a garage could be wise.

Park those thoughts for a moment (pun intended!) and consider climate change. On the day of writing this article, with much of England under water, Ed Miliband has written in the Observer that Britain is sleepwalking towards disaster because of a failure to recognise that climate change is causing the extreme weather that has blighted the country for more than a month. Furthermore, he states that climate change is a threat to national security.

And then, reading social media, John Cortes, Gibraltar’s Environment Minister, has just in the last hour tweeted “Climate Change is an issue of INTERNATIONAL security. Remember these words” to which a fellow follower suggested bluntly “…then ban cars in Gibraltar”. My Sunday morning reading inspired this article, because currently, Gibraltar is (possibly inadvertently) encouraging cars, with no limitation in sight which is environmentally damaging and, with no expansion possible of the road system, will increase average journey times.

Cars, on average, are immobile 95 percent of the time. On average they each take up 15 square metres of valuable land space. Space which could have alternative use whether a public amenity, open space or other forms of accommodation.

Perhaps the argument is to reduce the number of parking facilities not increase them. Since cars need parking spaces to park in, less parking spaces leads to fewer drivers on the road, which leads to a drop in auto-emissions. Is it really that simple? Possibly. Every car journey within Gibraltar requires two parking spaces: one at the start of the journey and one at the destination. If they do not exist, the car journey would not or could not happen saving emissions and congestion.

It is not a new problem or one confined to Gibraltar. Back in 705 B.C., Assyrian King Sennacherib posted signs on his highway to ensure it was cleared of parked chariots. The signs read: “Royal Road — let no man decrease it.” Whereas today you would just get a ticket, then, an improperly parked chariot could result in death by beheading. Later, the Romans actually implemented parking laws. Julius Caesar instituted rules preventing chariots from entering busy commercial zones during peak hours to limit congestion.

What needs to be done to get more people out of their cars, or, not into a car in the first place? Strategies I have identified in other European cities include:

Set parking limits: Amsterdam, Paris, Zurich, and Strasbourg have all limited the amount of parking spaces allowed in new developments that are walking distance from public transportation and or city centre amenities. In Gibraltar, instead of having to build a minimum number of expensive car parking spaces (which usually cost more than the car being housed in that space), the developer could for example, contribute financially to the public transport system.

Charge more for parking: Research suggests that optimal use of public parking facilities is when a car park is 85% full. This means there is always a space available which prevents the need for cars to cruise round looking for a space. Flexible parking tariffs, which may also mean higher parking tariffs at peak periods, might be able to achieve this.

Redistribution of parking fees: In Barcelona, 100% of parking revenue in certain areas goes to operate the public-bike system. Local governments in London use their parking fees to provide free transit passes for seniors and the disabled. Perhaps it is time to reduce the amount of free parking around town and use the proceeds to fund better public transport.

Discourage car ownership: The cost of car ownership in Gibraltar is comparatively low to other European countries. No annual tax and low fuel costs. No higher tariffs for cars with high carbon emissions. As unpalatable and politically difficult as it seems, taxing car ownership may be the easiest way to solve the problem. London’s congestion charge is one such example.

Take back public space: If Main Street can be pedestrianised, so can other areas. And roads could be cleared of parking spaces along the pavements which makes it at best unpleasant and at worst dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. Hamburg, Germany and Zurich implemented a kind of “cap and trade” of parking spaces, where for every off-street parking space built, an on-street parking space was converted into park or community space. Many cities have also abolished minimum parking standards for new developments, instead enforcing a maximum allowance.

And from the green perspective, whether people are annoyed with parking due to lack of available spaces or due to high motoring prices doesn’t matter. As long as they are frustrated enough not to drive, the environment will be better off.

A hugely difficult topic as most of us love the freedom of car ownership. But with thousands more cars coming to our road system soon, tough choices may have to be made.

It all reminds me of that age old joke: What do you do if you see a spaceman? Park in it.