The power of parking policy

Parking policy is an under-rated tool that can help Bath to cut congestion, improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and enhance the public realm. Unlike most other elements of transport management, parking produces revenue for other transport initiatives. Parking policy should be a central part of Bath’s transport delivery plan.

An updated Bath parking plan would create controlled parking zones all over the city. The Plan would keep total parking capacity constant over several years while gradually shifting it from the centre to expanded Park & Ride (P&R) facilities, potentially releasing car park land for housing and kerbside space for bus and cycle lanes. An alternative for car traffic from the east of Bath is also needed.

P&R would then become a significant driver of modal shift from cars to public transport. P&R should be significantly cheaper than parking in the centre. A successful parking pricing policy will be one that keeps the P&Rs full.

It is good that B&NES Council is considering the expansion of controlled parking zones, making Bath’s P&R sites more appealing, and looking into an east of Bath solution. There is still some way to go to a comprehensive parking plan to shift capacity out of the centre and give the P&Rs a compelling price advantage. We hope this will be addressed in the Bath Transport Delivery Action Plan.