Paris and 5 other five cities that rejected street parking and don’t regret it

Imagine a city where the streets are alive with the bustling energy of people, not a stagnant mess of parked cars. In a city where sustainable transport is the norm and cars take a backseat, cyclists and pedestrians play a leading role. Or more such cities.

It’s not part of some far-fetched utopia, but it’s a reality found worldwide today. We bring you a selection of cities that have dared to break free from the shackles of street parking. We’ll see some inspiring transformations, as well as the incredible benefits that come from them, and find out what it’s really like to live in a place that puts people before cars.

What is the problem with street parking?

A few of you are probably wondering what the problem with street parking is and why it is something that even needs to be addressed. Here are just a few of the top reasons why on-street parking is bad, and why eliminating or replacing it makes life better for everyone.

1. Overload

First, on-street parking is a significant contributor to traffic congestion. In The High Cost of Free Parking, Donald Shoup outlines the challenges of finding free on-street parking.

The time people spend circling the streets to find a parking space contributes not only to pollution, as you would expect, but also to congestion. A 1995 NYC study concluded that the average time it took drivers to find a spot on the sidewalk was 10.6 minutes. According to their research, this load made up about 8% of the total vehicle miles traveled in West Midtown. In other words, almost 10% of the cars weren’t going anywhere, they were just looking for a place to park!

2. Space

Parking spaces have a huge footprint. For example, in London, on-street parking covers 14 square kilometers, equivalent to 10 Hyde Parks. This is a hugely inefficient use of space, especially considering that the average car is parked roughly 95% of the time.

How about turning these spaces into something greener by planting trees or encouraging commercial activity by introducing street seating for restaurants? Better yet, why not a protected bike lane for sustainable cyclists?

3. It’s not nice

Let’s face it, street parking is an eyesore! Don’t believe us? Look at Japan. It’s not just that the streets of Tokyo are nice to walk and enjoy, it’s that you can actually see them! What is the difference? In fact, according to HeatMap, 95% of Tokyo streets have no on-street parking at all. We’ve touched on a few benefits, but which cities are paving the way for car-free streets?

Oslo does not want cars in the historic center

1. Oslo

In an article for Fast Company, Adele Peters notes that “if you’re planning to drive into downtown Oslo, you won’t be parking on the street.” And he’s not wrong. In early 2019, the city completed the removal of another 700 parking spaces. Result? The emergency services city center is almost car-free, apart from a few other exceptions.

According to Axel Bentsen, General Manager of Urban Sharing, you can feel the benefits. It’s not just that the streets are neater and quieter, but also that the air quality has noticeably improved.

Of course, this would not be possible without significant development of public transport and investments in cycling infrastructure. But Oslo’s transformation has shown that even though our cities today are built for cars, that’s no excuse for them to stay that way. And this does not even apply to historical centers.

Pedestrians have been given priority, people on bicycles have space, and trees and benches fill the gaps left after parking.

2. Copenhagen

Denmark’s capital city, which is often proclaimed as the friendliest city for cyclists, is seen by many as a cycling utopia.

One of the key reasons for this reputation is the elimination of downtown parking spaces. In 2021, the city launched five urban space experiments to reduce traffic congestion, including the removal of 66 parking spaces from the so-called ‘medieval city’. It proved such a success that a plan was adopted to remove 600 of the remaining 1,050 public parking spaces in the area from 2023.

Pedestrians have been given priority, people on bicycles have space, and trees and benches fill the gaps left after parking.

Copenhagen is a well-known cycling paradise

3. Amsterdam

Amsterdam takes its reputation as a cycling capital seriously. Since 2019, it has been systematically eliminating street parking in its center. The Dutch capital is known for its tight, busy and sometimes chaotic streets, but city officials have rightly decided that by phasing out parking spaces, everyone will have a little more breathing space.

It makes a lot of sense. Why should cars have so much space in a city where only 22% of trips are by car? Especially when there is such a desperate shortage of suitable places to lock your bike!

Amsterdam is slowly reducing the number of dedicated parking spaces, which generally makes personal car transport less attractive.

4. Paris

The city, notorious twenty years ago for its appalling levels of traffic congestion, has come a long way to transform itself into a welcoming place to live.

In 2020, Paris canceled 70,000 parking spaces to make the city greener. It seems logical that as the number of vacancies decreases, so does car ownership in the capital. According to Park4Sump, there has been a massive increase in the number of active cyclists in the city, and the local population uses bicycles more often than cars.

Efforts to improve mobility will see the reduction continue, and by the end of 2024, Mayor Hidalgo wants to eliminate up to 72% of all on-street parking spaces. The reclaimed space will be redeveloped to create more cycling space and promote the ’15 Minute City’.

I megapole jako je Sao Paulo může být přátelským místem pro lidi

5. São Paulo

What’s the best way to discourage car use in a city of over 12 million people? São Paulo might have the answer.

With strong support, in 2014 São Paulo abolished so-called parking minimums and replaced them with citywide maximums. For those who don’t know, this is a minimum parking requirement for new construction. The historically negative consequences and the colossal waste of public space it caused in the 20th century can be seen in many cities, especially in the US.

On the other hand, the introduction of maximum parking spaces in São Paulo has helped significantly improve the traffic situation in the city, especially in areas close to transit corridors. Discouraging the construction of parking spaces is an excellent means of reducing car use. As we’ve seen in other cities, the harder it is to park, the less likely you’ll drive and the more likely you’ll choose an alternative mode of transport.

Toronto. Modern and friendly

6. Toronto

The pandemic has spurred some significant changes around the world, particularly in the reallocation of road space.

Toronto took the opportunity to launch its ActiveTO and CafeTO programs, which brought temporary bike lanes as well as outdoor dining spaces for restaurants and cafes. And this by redesigning the space that was previously intended for cars, either in the form of a driving lane or street parking.

The measures proved hugely successful and the ambitious pilot projects remained permanent. Despite the initial skepticism, over time these criticisms are heard less and less. It’s easy to forget how quickly people can adapt. At the current pace of change, one can even imagine that within our lifetimes, driving and parking in the center of most cities will be a thing of the past. Who wouldn’t look forward to that?

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