Environment – People before parking

Auckland Council recently considered a parking strategy proposed by Auckland Transport. It was about public good, aimed at addressing mode shift – promoting more walking, cycling and public transport by making it easier to remove on-street car parking, for cycle and busways. The proposal reflects aspirations towards transport justice and equity, and addressing emissions and climate change. But in proposing the removal of some carparking, it struck at the heart of attitudes towards car ownership and entitlements to road space for driving and storing vehicles.

Sixty per cent of Auckland households own two or more cars and about 70 per cent of vehicle trips in Auckland are by private car, even for short journeys. So how dare they suggest the removal of carparks. “Who rides a bike anyway?” “Cyclists don’t pay fuel taxes!” “They should be on the footpath.” “I need to park on the road – there isn’t enough space on people’s properties.” “It will destroy local businesses.” These were the immediate complaints.

If I were to store a shipping container on the roadside outside my house, there would be an outrage. But carparking is just the same – storing an empty box in public open space. Some people park on the road because their garages are full of toys – boats, jet skis and other recreational accoutrements. Bike riders do contribute to road costs, through rates and taxes. And because we’re not in a user-pays system, that’s irrelevant anyway. Whether you pay taxes or rates doesn’t determine your right to safe, sustainable transport. Children, for example, don’t pay taxes but are still entitled to safe passage. There’s international evidence that shows people who ride their bikes contribute as much to local economies as car drivers. It’s illegal to ride a bike on the footpath, and not safe for pedestrians. Car drivers don’t actually own the road, and homeowners certainly don’t own, or have an automatic entitlement, to the space on the road outside.

The proposal wasn’t forcing people to ride or walk everywhere, but it was about giving people choices. Parking is Auckland’s dominant land use, but we will never be able to provide enough space for every car driver outside every house or shop. Bike riding and bike parking is far more efficient. There’s evidence that where bike lanes are provided, cycling increases dramatically, so it’s a virtuous circle.

On the other hand, because on-street car parking is dangerous for cycling, impedes public transport and privatises a commons – precluding other uses and creating negative amenity effects – it creates a vicious cycle. It is, however, the prevailing norm. It’s a cultural attitude that is aggressively defended. Next year is election year, and parking and anti-cycling attitudes are easy populist fodder. It will be brave leaders who puts people, not parking first.