Parking in Auckland Starting the conversation: how should Auckland manage its future parking needs? November 2021 Auckland Transport This format is produced under Section 69 of the NZ Copyright (Marrakesh Treaty Implementation) Amendment Act 2019. It is for your own personal use and cannot be shared with anyone else. The author and publisher reserve the right to take legal action if the Act is breached. No unauthorised copying is permitted. Produced 2021 by Accessible Formats Service, Blind Low Vision NZ, Auckland. This edition is a transcription of the following print edition: Copyright Auckland Transport November 2021 Transcriber's Note If reading this etext on a portable braille device, please note that it is unproofed by touch. All maps have been omitted. Contents Message from Adrienne Young-Cooper Page 3 Message from Chris Darby Page 4 A quick overview—this document in a nutshell Page 5 Timeline Page 8 Who owns and controls parking? Page 9 Vision for Auckland Page 10 How does parking contribute to the transport system and Auckland's growth? Page 11 What is parking management? Page 12 Some parking insights from Aucklanders Page 14 Proposed broad approach to the management of AT controlled parking Page 15 Broad implementation approach for parking management and supply Page 17 How the implementation approach could look on the ground Page 23 Tools which could be used / Where to next Page 25 Attachment 1: Questions to start the conversation Page 26 Attachment 2: Policy documents and strategies that set the direction for transport and land use in Auckland Page 27 Attachment 3: Minutes from the Auckland Council Planning Committee's Meeting 4 November 2021 28 Attachment 4: Ways to manage parking and allocate kerbside space Page 30 Page 3 Message from Adrienne Young-Cooper This discussion document focuses on the allocation and management of parking on roads and Auckland Council owned off-street parking. A lot has changed since the current Parking Strategy was released in 2015. Our region has grown by 190,000 people to a population of 1.72 million, and we have seen continued investment in public transport infrastructure, fleet and services. We are making transport system safety a core focus of all of our work with our Vision Zero strategy, and we are delivering an ever-increasing transport infrastructure asset base which enables access and connections across the region. Our vision of "easy journeys" relates to all transport modes, whether walking, cycling, moving by private vehicle or public transport and relates to the critical importance of people and goods moving about Auckland. But with Auckland's transport-related carbon emissions contributing about 40 per cent to the region's total greenhouse gas emissions, and the pressures associated with growth, safety and access continuing to be felt, the challenges are only going to be more significant. We also need to factor in changes to government policy, like the new National Policy Statement on Urban Development, which has removed minimum parking requirements. This change means developers are no longer required to provide on-site parking to service new apartments. This means we could very easily see parts of our transport network being overwhelmed by simply using public roads for long term parking of private vehicles, exactly at the time we need to take a hard look at the precious space in our roads and ensure that it is shared between all transport modes. Over the past 70 years, our transport system has evolved to favour private motor vehicles and just as space for vehicles has shaped how our communities look, so too has the need for parking space for vehicles. The removal of minimum parking requirements for new developments has profound implications for on-street parking with the potential to increase congestion and time people spend driving around searching for an unoccupied kerb side parking space. Cruising in search for an available parking space adds to congestion and contributes to air pollution. The supply and management of vehicle parking can influence travel choices and patterns. It can determine whether road space is used for short term or long-term parking of private vehicles or whether that asset—limited public space—can be better utilised for transit and bus lanes, widening footpaths or building a protected cycleway. A full bus can carry up to 50 people (a double-decker can transport up to 100 people), whereas parked vehicles taking up limited space is not an efficient or productive use of public space. We cannot "build our way out" of congestion by building more roads for private vehicles—local and overseas experiences have shown that more roads can lead to more traffic and greater congestion. Our new parking management principles, which we have developed collaboratively with Auckland Council, give us the opportunity to deliver our strategic transport networks, with benefits for Aucklanders to travel to more places as often as they like. We know that this is an important change, and we need to hear from Aucklanders. Fundamentally if we are to move to a cleaner, equitable and more accessible transport system, our approach to parking needs to change substantially over the next decade. The feedback we hear from you will help us translate this strategic direction into the policies which will guide our management of the parking system going forward. We will come back to you in 2022 for consultation on these policies. We look forward to hearing from you and start talking about parking. Adrienne Young-Cooper Chair, Auckland Transport Page 4 Message from Chris Darby Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is at a critical point in its history and the climate emergency we face requires urgent action. With road transport being Auckland's biggest source of emissions, we need a substantial change in the parking system because accessibility to parking has a direct impact on how people choose to travel. Historically we have prioritised our roads to cater for single occupant cars, which encourages people to drive everywhere, at any time. Congestion is already a severe problem and with our population forecast to grow exponentially, it would add further traffic and emissions to our already congested roads. Parking affects everyone whether they own a car or not. Space allocated to parking influences the space—if any—allocated to nearby footpaths, cycleways, street trees, bus priority and high occupancy vehicle lanes, as well as affecting how much is invested in public transport. All the land devoted to car parking is paid for and maintained at ratepayer expense, subsidising car driving and leaving fewer resources for alternative uses. Having to make way for parking has also increased urban sprawl, which contributes to driving house prices higher, and people living further away from services and centres that they need to access. This is why we have set clear direction to Auckland Transport to update the Parking Strategy so that it benefits all Aucklanders. We need to make sure that our roads can efficiently move people, goods and services, while enabling businesses and communities to thrive. This discussion document is the first opportunity for Aucklanders to talk through how we use our road space in a way that is fit for the future. There are a wide range of opportunities we could take, including planting more greenery, adding bus priority lanes, and providing ways for walkers and cyclists to travel in a safe and enjoyable manner. We will use what we learn from this feedback to develop the draft strategy which will then go back out to Aucklanders for a formal consultation process next year, so I encourage you to read through this document and get involved in the conversation. We want to know what you think about the proposals in this document and what you think the Parking Strategy should look like. Change is not easy, but important change is worth doing. An updated strategy that helps tackle the climate emergency, while also creating a safe, equitable and vibrant city for people, businesses and flora and fauna, is essential for our future. Councillor Chris Darby Chair, Planning Committee (Auckland Council) Page 5 A quick overview—this document in a nutshell What's the purpose of this document? • To help Aucklanders understand the complex range of factors that we need to consider when updating our 2015 Parking Strategy. • To start a conversation on how effective parking management can contribute to meeting Auckland's transport objectives. This will help guide us as we prepare the Draft Parking Strategy, which we will seek public feedback on in 2022. What is covered in this document? This discussion document proposes a strategic approach and guide to how parking will be managed over the next decade. It is concerned with the management and supply of publicly owned parking. This document is a conversation starter with Aucklanders Page 6 Important topics in this document What influences our approach to parking management and supply? • The strategic documents, transport objectives, and vision for Auckland that parking needs to help deliver. • How parking contributes to the transport system and Auckland's growth. • How changes to parking management can benefit Aucklanders. Proposed "principles" to guide our approach to parking management • Principles guiding the role of the road corridor, and the role of parking within the road corridor. • Principles guiding how our parking management approach should be applied to different locations across Auckland. • Principles guiding how we will work with communities to implement our parking management approach. A proposed broad implementation approach for parking management • How we intend to give effect to the "Parking Principles". • Our proposed approach to parking management and how it links to the transport and land use characteristics of each location. In particular: —In areas with good access to public transport and denser land use activities we will manage parking proactively and in a way that prioritises/encourages travel by modes other than car. —In areas with less access to public transport and less dense land use activities we will manage parking responsively i.e. when parking issues arise or when the transport and land use characteristics of the area change, and in a way that captures opportunities to enhance the public and active transport system. Page 7 What's not covered? This document endeavours to promote a serious conversation with Aucklanders, to outline the proposed strategic approach to the management of parking, particularly on our roads and streets. At this stage the conversation does not cover in detail specific types of parking, such as park and ride, mobility parking, or service/delivery parking, nor does it cover topics such as customer experience or parking enforcement. These topics will be addressed in more detail when the draft Parking Strategy is released for public feedback in early 2022. This document does not make any recommendations for the supply or management of privately-owned off-street parking, such as on-site residential parking or privately owned parking buildings. Rules for provision of privately owned parking are set out in the Auckland Unitary Plan. How can you get involved? We want you to get involved in the conversation We want to know what you think about the proposals in this document and what you think the Parking Strategy should look like. Your views will help us develop an updated Parking Strategy, which we will seek public feedback on in 2022. To get the conversation started we have outlined some questions in Attachment 1. You can share your thoughts by: • Completing the online feedback form • Emailing parkingstrategy@at.govt.nz You can find the feedback form at AT.govt.nz/parkingstrategy Page 8 Timeline Early to mid 2021 —Discovery of parking issues and opportunities —Policy analysis and ensuring strategic alignment —Workshop with Auckland Council's Planning Committee July to August 2021 —Workshops with local boards —Developed draft "Principles" and "Approach to parking management" September to October 2021 —Made changes in response to local board and Planning Committee feedback Early November 2021 —Planning Committee endorses draft "Principles" and "Approach to parking management" Now —Discussion Document released to promote a conversation with Aucklanders about parking —Developing policies January to March 2022 —Use feedback to guide Draft Parking Strategy —Get permission to consult on the Draft Parking Strategy from AT Board and Planning Committee March to May 2022 —Public consultation on Draft Parking Strategy —Local Board provide feedback in consideration of public feedback —AT make appropriate changes based on feedback Mid 2022 —Final Parking Strategy submitted for endorsement to Auckland Council's Planning Committee —Submit for approval to the AT Board Page 9 Who owns and controls Auckland's parking? • Auckland Council controls all the publicly owned off-street parking in Auckland. AT manages some of this parking on their behalf. • For example, the decision to construct a new publicly owned off-street parking building would be made by Auckland Council, and once the building was constructed it would be handed to AT to manage. • AT controls and manages all the publicly owned on-street parking in Auckland. • Privately owned parking is managed by private property owners, such as home owners, business owners, and companies that own off-street parking buildings. Publicly owned parking Managed by AT • On-street parking • AT managed off-street parking areas and buildings (e.g. Victoria Street Carpark) • Park and rides Privately owned parking Managed by private property owners • Off-street residential and business parking • Off-street parking areas and buildings owned by private companies What do we need parking for? Car parking Bike parking Scooter parking Motorbike parking Delivery vehicle parking Passenger pick up Mobility parking Bus layover Page 10 Vision for Auckland Our roads and streets are some of the most valuable public space we have. We use them every day and they play a big role in our lives, particularly in how we get around Auckland and how attractive and enjoyable our local neighbourhood is. We've been looking at how parking management helps shape the transport system and the way Auckland grows. There is so much change happening throughout Auckland and our roads are under increasing pressure. We need to ensure they are designed and utilised in a way that balances the needs of the local community and the wider Auckland public. There are several policy and strategic documents that set the direction/requirements for how Auckland grows and how the transport system should adapt to support that growth. These documents are outlined in Attachment 2 and include The Government Policy Statement for Land Transport and The Auckland Plan 2050. The direction set in these documents demonstrates it is not sustainable or efficient to grow Auckland in a way that is heavily reliant on private vehicles and ever-widening roads to get around. Such an approach results in many negative effects such as more emissions and pollution, lack of genuine travel choices, more deaths and serious injuries, increasing traffic congestion, communities dominated by roads and traffic, and increasing costs and space requirements to upgrade roads to accommodate growth. It is clear that we need to grow the city in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and efficient way that provides better and safer travel choices for more people. To do this we need to do things differently, including the way parking is managed. We need to rebalance the transport network and give greater priority to public transport, cycling, micromobility, and walking. This is about building a city that is efficient, equitable, safe and convenient for all people. It will mean we may have to sacrifice convenience for some car trips, but in return we will gain a more attractive, efficient, and reliable public transport and active transport system that gives people genuine choices as to how they travel. To clarify this direction, Auckland Council and the Government have agreed on the following strategic objectives for Auckland's transport system: Improve the resilience and sustainability of the transport system and significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions it generates. Accelerate better travel choices for Aucklanders. Better connect people, places, goods, and services. Making the transport system safe by eliminating harm to people. Enable and support growth Page 11 How does parking contribute to the transport system and Auckland's growth? Public parking is an important component of the transport system and has many positive impacts, including: • Facilitating easy access to work, education, recreational, and social opportunities. • Supporting access to town centres and other retail areas. • Space for goods deliveries and service vehicles (loading zones). • Improving accessibility for people with mobility needs (mobility parking), and other people who are unable to use active or public transport. Ideally car parking would primarily play a supporting role in the transport system, by extending access to places outside the reach of public transport, or where houses and shops are not in close proximity. Unfortunately, the ample supply of parking in Auckland encourages excessive private vehicle use, which has contributed to some significant trends which are not sustainable for Auckland, including: • Urban sprawl and low-density development that results in people living further from services and centres. • Large investments in roads, further increasing the demand for private motor vehicle travel and creating barriers between communities. • Traffic congestion, which historically has stimulated further investment in roads (to try and alleviate congestion). • Continued underinvestment in public transport and active transport, which is keeping demand for these modes low. • Associated emissions, air and noise pollution, and negative environmental impacts. • Social inequality, where those who cannot drive are restricted from accessing some services and opportunities. • Under-utilisation of kerb side space. In many locations different uses of kerb side space would generate more benefits to local communities, and to the wider public (see "Better utilisation of space" on page 12). Did you know? Transport is responsible for 43% of Auckland's emissions, most of which comes from private motor vehicle use. and … Did you know? 34% of Aucklanders do not have a drivers licence and therefore rely on other people or other modes to travel. Page 12 What is parking management? Parking management is the use of tools and interventions to modify parking arrangements to address travel, parking, or other issues/behaviour. Detailed examples of parking management techniques are provided in Attachment 4. How can changes to parking management benefit Aucklanders? There are several benefits that can be realised through improved parking management, including: Better utilisation of space Converting space to bus/T3/T2/freight/traffic lanes, cycleways, and footpaths: • Means we can transport more people or goods using the same amount of space. • Increases the people carrying capacity of roads leading into town and metro centres and increases the number of people that can remain in the centre (as the number of people that can visit is not constrained by parking availability). • Frees up the roads for the likes of freight, trades people, and emergency services. • Can reduce travel times and improve travel time reliability. Convert space to make the environment more attractive and enjoyable: • More gardens and green spaces. • Wider footpaths. • More public spaces and street furniture, providing places for people to socialise, rest, and enjoy Auckland's natural and/or built environment. • Outdoor retail space, such as markets and outdoor dining. Convert space to loading zones, or other types of parking, such as mobility, bicycle, or micromobility (e.g. scooter) parking: • Makes it easier for truck drivers and couriers to deliver goods to businesses. • Improves access for people with accessible needs. • Improves access by space-efficient, more environmentally friendly transport modes such as bicycles and scooters (i.e. people can easily find somewhere to park their bicycle or scooter). Increased parking turnover and reduced commuter parking Introducing time limited parking or paid parking can: • Help to ensure there will always be some parking spaces available—for example by managing price or time limits to achieve an average occupancy rate of around 85 percent. • Increase parking turnover, so that car parks are not monopolised by a small number of users. This can be beneficial for town centres as it increases the number of shoppers that can use each car park over the course of a day. • Discourage commuter parking. This may reduce parking pressure around town centres and residential areas and encourage people to use more sustainable modes of transport. Page 13 Box: We need to get smarter with how we use space. Did you know that general traffic lanes are the least efficient way to move people? End Box. Decreased costs and construction timeframes • Aucklanders have told us they want things done quicker. A better approach to parking management and supply can significantly speed up the delivery of transport projects and reduce their costs. • Widening road corridors beyond their current boundaries requires property purchases and usually also requires the removal of houses, buildings, and businesses. Not only can this uproot people's lives, but projects also become significantly more expensive and can take many more years to deliver. • By utilising the existing kerb side space currently allocated to parking we can save time and money by avoiding property purchases and limit the amount of construction required. This means we can deliver projects quicker and deliver more projects with the funding available (better utilising rate and tax payers' money). Prevents developers passing on the costs of parking to rate payers To help address the negative impacts of urban sprawl and low-density development (cities growing outwards and not upwards), the National Policy Statement on Urban Development directs Auckland Council to remove requirements for carparking to be provided as part of new developments. This means that developers can decide how much (or how little) onsite parking they provide. This change should encourage more intensive developments (such as apartment buildings), help to create a more compact city, and reduce the private supply of parking (all of which are important components of getting more people travelling by efficient modes such as public transport, walking, and cycling). However, it does create the potential for parking to spill out onto surrounding streets. To respond to this issue, in the principles for the management and supply of parking outlined below, we propose that accommodating this "overspill" parking should be the lowest priority use of kerb side space. This means that activities that bring more public benefit will have priority to use this space. It will also signal to developers that they can't simply pass on the costs of parking to ratepayers. Importantly, the changes we propose also mean that people considering buying a house or renting a property will need to think carefully about their parking needs, especially in locations of high parking management/readiness for change and on the Strategic Transport Network, as Aucklanders will not be able to rely on the road for overnight parking. Box: Evidence suggests that people who travel by public transport, or active modes, spend more at shops than people who drive. This means that parking outside shops isn't as crucial as some people have been led to believe. Average monthly spend in Milford shopping area Table tn: Information from the table is listed below. Average typical spend: —Bus passengers: $26.30 —Car users: $50.74 Median visit frequency —Bus passengers: Two-four times per week —Car users: Once or twice a fortnight Estimated number of visits per month —Bus passengers: Twelve —Car users: Three Average monthly spend —Bus passengers: $315.60 —Car users: $152.22 End Table. Note that this is a rudimentary calculation based on the "averaged" data available. However, the notable difference in the average monthly spends strongly suggests that bus passengers spend considerably more in the Milford shopping area over time than car users. End Box. Page 14 Some parking insights from Aucklanders We surveyed a representative sample of 500 Aucklanders. These are some of the things they told us: 72% believe we need to change the way we travel to reduce the impacts of climate change, but only 46% said they actively consider the environment when choosing how they travel. 67% support reallocating parking to general traffic lanes on major roads. 54% supported using parking as a lever to encourage people to use more sustainable modes of transport. 67% were in favour of using paid parking and 65% were in favour of using time limited parking to ensure the availability of parking in densely populated areas. 50% support reallocating parking spaces on major roads in a way that encourages people to use more sustainable modes of transport. Page 15 Proposed broad approach to the management of AT controlled parking Principles for the management of parking Principles guiding the role of the road corridor, and the role of parking within the road corridor i. The road network is a valuable public asset that needs to be managed to benefit all Aucklanders. Acknowledging this, parking will be supplied and managed in a way that helps deliver: • The Government Policy Statement for Land Transport • The Auckland Plan 2050 • Auckland's strategic objectives for transport (see above) • Other agreed strategic planning documents, policies, and tools (see Attachment 2). ii. To align with government and council direction we need to ensure that the way we manage parking: • Encourages travel by sustainable and efficient transport modes such as public transport and cycling. • Doesn't prioritise trips by private motor vehicles. • Doesn't occupy kerbside space that could be utilised for more beneficial activities. iii. Kerb side space will typically be allocated in the following priority order: 1. To ensure and improve the safety of people using the transport system. 2. Preserve existing property access (e.g. retain existing property accesses and also accommodate vehicle movements to access properties). 3. To support the movement of people (e.g. allocate space for public transport, cycling, walking, freight, and general traffic in accordance with the strategic transport network). 4. Public space improvements, such as public spaces for seating, plantings and trees, outdoor dining areas. 5. Mobility parking 6. Specialty parking, such as loading zones, car share parking, bicycle and micromobility parking, motorbike parking, and electric vehicle parking. 7. General vehicle parking. 8. General vehicle parking to accommodate overflow parking from developments that occurred after September 2013 (this is when the Auckland Unitary Plan in draft form signaled changes to parking requirements). Priorities 3 and 4 can be switched to reflect the local characteristics, for example movement of people is more important on the strategic transport network but enhancing the local environment could be more important in locations such as town centres. iv. Vehicle parking is the lowest priority use of kerbside space on the Strategic Transport Network and will automatically be removed to provide space for projects that increase the movement of people and goods. v. Principles i-iv need to be applied in a way that is consistent with Principles vi-xiii below. Principles guiding how the approach to parking management should be applied to different locations across Auckland vi. Auckland is a large and diverse region, with varying levels of access to public transport and differing land use patterns. To recognise this, the parking implementation approach will be dependent on, and tailored to, the transport and land use characteristics and community needs of each location. vii. In areas with the highest readiness for change (i.e. good access to public transport and denser land use activities) we will manage parking proactively and in a way that prioritises/encourages travel by modes other than car. Page 16 viii. For areas with moderate readiness for change, we will focus on encouraging a shift to sustainable modes for commuting while still supporting short-stay parking. ix. In areas with lower access to public transport and less dense land use activities, generally, we would manage parking responsively (i.e. respond to issues as they arise). x. The parking management approach for an area will be updated as the public transport and active modes networks improve, and land uses change (e.g. land use intensifies in an area). Principles guiding how we will work with communities to implement the approach to parking management xi. In areas where significant changes to parking management and supply are likely to occur we would work with the community and local boards to develop parking management plans. xii. Our community's receptiveness to change is diverse. We will work with communities as we develop and implement projects that impact on the management and supply of parking. xiii. The Strategic Transport Network will be treated differently however. Projects to improve travel capacity or efficiency on the identified Strategic Transport Network will continue to seek public feedback, but not on the parking removal element. Where required, parking will automatically be removed to enable delivery of these projects. This will help alleviate the frustration of Aucklanders being asked for their views on a pre-determined element of these proposals. This is not about removing public feedback / consultation opportunities, rather it's a more honest and upfront way to manage expectations through this process. Box: Parking management plans provide a detailed plan for managing car parking in a particular area. They take into account local circumstances to provide recommendations for the short, medium and long term. End Box. Page 17 Broad implementation approach for parking management and supply In accordance with our proposed principles for the management of parking, we are recommending that the approach to parking management reflects the transport and land use characteristics of each location. This will ensure that parking interventions are appropriate for the location. For example, in areas with better/higher access to public transport and denser land use activities we will manage parking proactively and in a way that prioritises and encourages travel by modes other than car. "Proactively" means we will start working with local boards and their communities to develop parking management plans for their areas as soon as possible. In areas with less/lower access to public transport and less dense land use activities we will manage parking responsively. "Responsively" means that generally we will act when parking issues arise, such as high demand or safety issues, or when the transport and land use characteristics of the area change. In those situations, we will use the 2022 Parking Strategy to determine the most appropriate parking management response. Identifying the location Each location throughout Auckland has been categorised into one of four locations: • A road on the Strategic Transport Network • Tier 3 Location—High Readiness for Change • Tier 2 Location—Moderate Readiness for Change • Tier 1 Location—Low Readiness for Change Strategic Transport Network The Strategic Transport Network consists of the main transport routes that connect people throughout Auckland. They are predominantly roads, but also include railway lines, busways, and off-road cycleways. The Strategic Transport Network needs to carry as many people as possible in the space available, which means many of its roads will be transformed into multi-modal corridors that prioritise space-efficient transport modes. "Multi-modal" means having or using a variety of travel modes such as buses, walking, cycling, private vehicles, and trucks. At this stage about one fifth of the roads on the Strategic Transport Network are proposed for improvements over the next 10 years. The strategic transport network to which the Parking Strategy applies will be confirmed in the final approved strategy document. It is important we deliver these improvements in a timely and cost-effective manner. Widening these corridors beyond their current boundaries requires extensive land purchases, and often includes the removal of houses, buildings, and businesses. Not only can this uproot people's lives, but projects also become significantly more expensive and take many years to deliver. By utilising kerb side space currently allocated to parking we can save time and money by avoiding property purchases and limiting the amount of construction required. This means we can deliver projects quicker and deliver more projects with the funding available. To ensure these outcomes, the Principles for the management and supply of parking direct that kerb side parking is automatically removed to accommodate projects on the Strategic Transport Network. This is one of the biggest changes proposed to guide the 2022 Parking Strategy and will be key enabler of change across Auckland's transport system. The map below shows the Strategic Transport Network and projects currently planned for implementation over the next ten years. However, not all projects to be delivered over the next ten years are shown as some are still early in the planning process, for example around 60 kilometres of cycling projects are still to be finalised. Page 18 Map 1—Strategic Transport Network tn: Map has been omitted. Map shows the greater Auckland area with Strategic Networks (on AT Roads) and RLTP corridor (any available parking to be removed.) End tn. Concept only and subject to refinement. Map is based on land use zoning and RLTP programme. Parking management will vary depending on actual land use and transport network development. Strategic network subject to parking removal if projects to deliver modal priorities are identified in the future. Page 19 Readiness for change Essentially "readiness for change" is an assessment of how ready a community/area is to replace private vehicles trips for more efficient and sustainable modes of transport. If an area has high readiness, parking will be managed in a way that supports and encourages people to take more trips by public transport, cycling, scootering, and walking. This will reduce traffic pressures, making travel on these roads easier for those who need it the most (e.g. freight, trades people, emergency services). The readiness for change of an area is primarily determined by assessing the density of its land use and its access to public transport (although access to high quality cycleways will also be considered). Areas with denser land use and good access to public transport, like the city centre and Newmarket, will have a higher readiness for change. We need to improve public transport, cycling, micromobility, and walking for many reasons, including to: • Make better use of public space. • Manage congestion. • Give people genuine travel choices. • Free up the roads for people who need it the most (e.g. freight, trades people, emergency services). • Reduce emissions and pollution. • Create a more attractive public realm. Using this assessment areas will be categorised into one of the following tiers: • Tier 3 Location—High Readiness for Change • Tier 2 Location—Moderate Readiness for Change • Tier 1 Location—Low Readiness for Change The diagram explains the "readiness for change" concept and the map below shows how the tiers would be applied across Auckland. Capacity and readiness for change is determined through assessment of the land use and transport situation in the area. In order to have the intervention level both transport and land use criteria need to be met. Diagram: Tier 3 City centre, metro centre (within 45 min public transport from city centre) Plus Rapid transit station Tier 2 Town centre, mixed use, Terrace housing and apartment building, stadium, hospital, tertiary education Plus Multiple frequent transit network routes Tier 1 Mixed housing urban and below Multiple connector or 1 frequent transit network route or less End Diagram. Pages 20-21 Map 2—Parking management tn: Map has been omitted. Map shows the greater Auckland area with Tiers 1, 2 and 3. End tn. Concept only and subject to refinement. Map is based on land use zoning and RLTP programme. Parking management will vary depending on actual land use and transport network development. Map 3—Combined parking management map and comparison to existing situation tn: Map has been omitted. Map shows the greater Auckland area with Existing paid parking, Tiers 1, 2, 3, Strategic Networks (on AT Roads) and RLTP corridor (any available parking to be removed.) End tn. Concept only and subject to refinement. Map is based on land use zoning and RLTP programme. Parking management will vary depending on actual land use and transport network development. Strategic network subject to parking removal if projects to deliver modal priorities are identified in the future. Page 22 The proposed implementation approach Table. tn: Information from the table is listed below under the following headings. Category/readiness for change: Transport and land use characteristics; Approach to parking management and supply; Example locations. End tn. Strategic Transport Network Category/readiness for change • High priority for action Transport and land use characteristics Road is part of AT's Strategic Transport Network Approach to parking management and supply • The movement of people is prioritised above parking. • Parking will automatically be removed from these routes where necessary to facilitate interventions to move more people (e.g. bus lanes, T2 lanes, cycleways). Example locations The Strategic Transport Network is shown on Map 1 (page 18). Tier 3 Category/readiness for change • High priority for action • Areas with high readiness for change Transport and land use characteristics A metro centre within 45 minutes of the city centre when travelling by public transport (includes the city centre). and High access to public transport. Is a walkable distance from a rapid transit/public transport station (e.g. rail or busway station). Approach to parking management and supply • Proactive parking management. • Focus on reducing private vehicle use for all types of travel. • Increased charges for parking and more time restricted parking. • Some parking space reappropriation is likely e.g. converted to loading zones, micromobility parking, footpaths, public space, bus lanes, cycleways. • Work with the community to develop a parking management plan, which specifies how this approach will be implemented. Example locations City Centre Newmarket Albany Henderson New Lynn Sylvia Park Manukau Tier 2 Category/readiness for change • Moderate priority for action • Areas with moderate readiness for change Transport and land use characteristics • One of the following locations • A metro centre greater than 45 minutes from the city centre when travelling by public transport. • A town/local centre. • Higher density areas, such as mixed-use areas, and areas with terraced housing or apartments. and • Moderate access to public transport. Is near multiple high frequency bus routes. Approach to parking management and supply • Proactive parking management. • Focus on reducing private vehicle use for commuter trips (e.g. work and education). • Continue to provide time limited/short stay parking (to increase turnover). • Increased parking charges are possible. • Some parking space reappropriation is possible e.g. converted to loading zones, micromobility parking, footpaths, public space, bus lanes, cycleways. • Work with the community to develop a parking management plan, which specifies how this approach will be implemented. Example locations See Map 3 (page 21) for locations Tier 1 Category/readiness for change Low priority for action Areas with low readiness for change Transport and land use characteristics Low access to public transport. Has low density land use. Approach to parking management and supply • Responsive parking management. • Where parking issues arise, such as high demand or safety issues, we use the Parking Strategy to determine the most appropriate parking management response. For example, residential parking areas, time limited parking, or priced parking. • Otherwise there will be little or no change to the management or supply of parking. Example locations See Map 3 (page 21) for locations End Table. Notes • Attachment 4 outlines the various parking management techniques which can be employed across the tiers • If a location only satisfies one characteristic (e.g. the land use characteristic but not the transport characteristic), then it drops down to the next tier on the readiness for change scale. • Tiers 1-3 all include increased provision of mobility parking, loading zones, space for service vehicles, and parking/storage space for scooters and bikes. Page 23 How the implementation approach could look on the ground This is what parking changes could look like for a typical town centre Diagram. tn. Diagram has been omitted. The areas on the diagram have been listed below. End tn. Train line and station Main retail/commercial Lower density, more residential Surburban areas Strategic modal network—parking removal Paid/regulated parking Time restricted or unregulated parking End Diagram. Parking as it generally is now Most roads in Tier 1 locations and some roads in Tier 2 locations will continue to look like this. Diagram: tn: A two-way street. Two lanes for cars each way. The left lane is for parking and the right lane is for driving. The left lane has no parking markings and shows cars and mopeds parked with random spacing. End Diagram. Parking regulation • Many roads in Tier 2 locations will look like this. • Some roads may look like this in Tier 1 locations, where we are responding to parking demand pressures. • Some roads may look like this in Tier 3 locations where there isn't a current need to reallocate parking spaces to another use. Diagram: tn: A two-way street. Two lanes for cars each way. The left lane is for parking and the right lane is for driving. The left lane has evenly spaced parking markings, including a designated disabled parking, bike parking and loading bay. On the pavement are parking meters and signs showing various time limits. End Diagram. Page 24 Removing parking to help people movement Roads on the Strategic Transport Network, particularly in Tier 3 and Tier 2 locations, could look like this. However, this set up will be more common on the strategic transport network and in Tier 3 locations. Note these are concepts and a mix of these solutions is possible. Scenario 1 Diagram: tn: A two-way street. On one side the right lane is for driving and the left lane is a two-way bike lane. On the other side the right lane is for driving and the left lane is for parking. The parking is marked and has designated areas to suit all vehicles. Parking signs and meters are on the pavement. End Diagram. Scenario 2 Diagram: tn: A two-way street. On both sides the right lane is for driving and the left lane is a T3 lane. There is no parking. End Diagram. Scenario 3 Diagram: tn: A two-way street. On both sides the right lane is for driving and the left lane is a Bus lane. There is no parking. End Diagram. Scenario 4 Diagram: tn: A two-way street. On both sides there is only one lane for driving. There is no parking. The pavement is wide on both sides, enough for trees, benches and flower beds. It shows space for pedestrians walking and in wheelchairs. End Diagram. Page 25 Tools which could be used There are many parking management techniques and uses of kerbside space that could be applied to each "Category/readiness for change" in the implementation approach above. The right tools will depend on the unique characteristics of each location and will be identified through the development of Parking Management Plans. Please refer to Attachment 4 for examples of some of the tools we will consider using. Where to next? We're moving along, but this isn't the end of the discussion. Remember to tell us your thoughts, we will take them onboard, discuss them with councillors and local boards, then prepare a draft of our updated Parking Strategy. In 2022 you can also have your say on the draft of our updated Parking Strategy. The draft strategy will outline a proposed approach to parking management and supply for the next 10 years. It will also cover topics that were not covered in detail in this document, such as park and rides, mobility parking, service/delivery parking, customer experience, and parking enforcement. Page 26 Attachment 1: Questions to start the conversation We're not expecting you to answer all these questions, just answer the ones you're most interested in. Questions about the content of the discussion document Q1) How do you think parking should contribute to achieving the vision/direction for Auckland's transport system? Q2) What do you think of the proposed principles for the management and supply of parking? —Are there any changes you think will help deliver the vision for Auckland's transport system? —Would you make any changes to our priorities for kerbside space allocation? —It's likely that more and more new developments will not provide enough onsite parking to accommodate demand. What do you think of our proposal to make overspill parking from these developments the lowest priority use of kerbside space? Do you have any other ideas as to how we could respond to this challenge? —What are your thoughts on delivering projects quicker and cheaper by automatically removing kerbside parking spaces on the Strategic Road Network rather than widening road corridors? Q3) What are your thoughts on the proposed broad implementation approach for parking management and supply? —Do you think parking management and supply should be tailored to the transport and land use characteristics of each location? Why/why not? —Would you make any changes to the "readiness for change" approach and assessment criteria? —Do you think the approach to parking management and supply is right for each category/tier of the readiness for change? Why/why not? —Do you have any suggestions as to when different tools should be applied within the implementation approach? Q4) Do you have any other parking ideas that we should consider? Page 27 Attachment 2: Policy documents and strategies that set the direction for transport and land use in Auckland The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (transport.govt.nz/area-of-interest/strategy-and-direction/government-policy-statement-on-land-transport/) sets out how the Government wants to see transport investment prioritised over the next ten years. The National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) (https://www.hud.govt.nz/urban-development/national-policy-statement-on-urban-development-nps-ud/) is the Government's direction on how land should be managed. The NPS-UD requires Council to remove carparking minimum requirements from the Unitary Plan. This means that development can occur without any onsite parking. The intent of this is to increase land supply for development and to improve the value and quality of urban form. The NPS-UD has other policies that will intensify land use. The effect of this (over time) will be a consolidated urban form, a reduced need to travel, and reduced reliance on private vehicles. Removal of parking minimums could create increased demand for on-street parking if AT doesn't actively manage on-street parking. The Auckland Plan 2050 (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/auckland-plan/Pages/default.aspx) is Auckland's long-term spatial Plan, it sets out Auckland's challenges of population growth, shared prosperity, and environmental degradation, as well as reflecting key areas for growth and development. The Auckland Unitary Plan (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/unitary-plan/Pages/default.aspx) guides the use of Auckland's natural and physical resources and provides the rules and policies for land use development. The Government's draft Emissions Reduction Plan (mpi.govt.nz/consultations/emissions-reduction-plan/), along with Auckland Council's Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Plan (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/Pages/te-taruke-a-tawhiri-ACP.aspx), signal the need for significant changes to how we travel and the way we travel. In particular the need to shift from petrol and diesel car use to other, low-emission travel modes. The Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) (at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/regional-land-transport-plan/) sets out Auckland's ten-year land transport investment priorities. Future Connect (at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/future-connect-auckland-transports-network-plan/) is AT's Network Plan, it shows the existing and planned strategic transport networks. The Roads and Streets Framework (at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/roads-and-streets-framework/) is used to inform any development design of a road or street. It is a fundamental tool for understanding how road-space might be allocated to serve the needs and catchment of adjoining land use, as well as the movement of people, goods, and services. The Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) (at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/regional-land-transport-plan/) sets out the ten-year plan for public transport network development and services, as well as policies and procedures for delivering public transport. The RPTP will be reviewed imminently. Delivering the Goods: The Auckland Freight Plan (https://at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/auckland-freight-plan/) sets out the strategic network for freight and the actions we will progress over the coming years to improve the Auckland freight system. Page 28 Attachment 3: Minutes from the Auckland Council Planning Committee's Meeting 4 November 2021 Below are the "parking principles" as approved by the Auckland Council Planning Committee. For the full minutes from this meeting, please visit infocouncil. aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2021/ll/PLA_20211104_MIN_10170_WEB.htm Resolution number PLA/2021/125 Moved by Cr C Darby, seconded by Deputy Mayor BC Cashmore: That the Planning Committee: a) endorse the following objective and principles, as recommended as a package by the Auckland Transport Board, as forming the strategic direction underpinning the development of the 2022 Parking Strategy: i) Key Objective: Management of parking assets within (and beyond) the road corridor makes a significant, deliberate and effective contribution to enabling our transport objectives, including: improving the resilience and sustainability of the transport system and significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions it generates; accelerating better travel choices for Aucklanders; better connecting people, places, goods and services; making the transport system safe by eliminating harm to people; enabling and supporting growth. ii) Principles guiding the role of the road corridor, and the role of parking within the corridor: A) The Auckland road network is a key public asset that needs to be managed to benefit all Aucklanders by ensuring safe and effective connectivity for all modes and supporting land use outcomes, including through property access. Existing strategic planning policies and tools, including the Roads and Streets Framework, provide a sound basis for decision about the allocation of road space. B) As a general principle, road-space will be managed to prioritise safe and efficient movement of people, goods and services alongside the place value of a location. Kerbside space allocation will typically provide for (in order of priority): 1) Safety 2) Strategic transport networks (public transport, cycling, walking, freight and general traffic) 3) Recognise the role/needs of adjacent land uses 4) Land use overflow parking. C) The criticality of road space for property access, loading and servicing and mobility/accessibility needs must be recognised and supported. D) Road space also serves other important functions, for example relaying utilities and for providing trees and planting. Auckland has over 7,000kms of roads and streets—a significant amount of the region's public space. E) To support future development of Auckland's transport network and achieve Council objectives (and government policy), the allocation of road-space will need to change over time. This means Aucklanders cannot rely on the public realm for longer-duration storage of vehicles and land use should provide for its own longer-duration parking and servicing needs. F) To support fast and cost-efficient project delivery, when projects occur on current strategic public transport, cycle & micromobility, general traffic or freight networks, parking will automatically need to be reallocated to other modes or uses. Page 29 iii) Principles guiding how the strategy should be developed with our communities: A) Auckland's communities are diverse and, to support equity, different approaches will need to be taken to different areas, tailoring the approach to the transport infrastructure, patterns and needs and land use characteristics of each area, and the availability of sustainable mode options. B) Pro-active parking management should occur first in the areas with greatest readiness for change and then roll outwards. C) The highest level of pro-active parking intervention, which will focus on reducing car use for all trip purposes, should occur in areas with the greatest capacity / readiness for change, while the next level of intervention will focus on encouraging a shift to more sustainable modes for commuting. D) Parking management in each area will be updated over time as the public transport and active modes networks are improved and land use changes E) Parking management will also continue to be applied reactively across Auckland in response to areas of high parking demand or other issues that impact the transport network F) Our community's receptiveness to change is diverse. The approach to public engagement will aim to take our communities with us through the changes arising from the Parking Strategy. e) note that the proposed Parking Discussion document will be based on the above principles and provide an opportunity for Aucklanders to engage on parking issues. f) note that following staff consideration and analysis of the feedback received on the proposed Parking Discussion document, the draft Parking Strategy will be presented to the Planning Committee for endorsement ahead of a full public consultation in early 2022, and the final Parking Strategy will be subject to endorsement by the Planning Committee in mid-2022. g) delegate the endorsement of a Parking Discussion Document to the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Planning Committee, the Deputy Mayor and a member of the Independent Māori Statutory Board, ahead of release in November 2021, which will be used as part of the scene setting on the need for change ahead of formal public consultation on the Parking Strategy in early 2022. Page 30 Attachment 4: Ways to manage parking and allocate kerbside space Below are some examples as to how parking can be managed, or kerbside space can be reallocated to a different activity. Time restricted parking: Car parking with a maximum duration of stay, e.g. P120 parking. This can be applied to both on-street car parking, and off-street car parks. Paid parking: Car parking where the user pays a fee to park based on how long they stay, fees are typically hourly, although sometimes there may be all-day or special rates. This can be applied to both on-street car parking, and off-street car parks. Paid and time restricted parking: Car parking where the user pays a fee to park based on how long they stay, and where there is also a maximum duration of stay. This can be applied to both on-street car parking, and off-street car parks. Mobility parking: Car parking spaces with increased dimensions to make them more accessible. Mobility parking spaces are also located in more convenient locations to reduce the distance people need to travel. People with Disability Parking Permits are permitted to use these spaces. Bus stop: a bus stop is a reserved space on the street where bus services stop to pick up or drop-off passengers. Waste storage: The reallocation of on-street parking to provide space for waste and recycling pick-up. Shared bins can centralise rubbish and recycling into one space, reducing the number of rubbish bins and bags on the street. Loading zones: loading zones provide short-term parking on-street for goods and service operators to load and unload vehicles. Loading zone management: Management of loading zones to ensure more equitable and efficient use through a booking system or other method. Raised loading zones: Raised loading zones are level with the footpath to allow for flexible usage depending on demand at different times of the day. Taxi-rank/ride-share zone: on-street space allocated for taxis (or rideshare services) to pick-up or drop-off passengers. Pick-up/Drop-off zones: Pick-up/drop-off zones are dedicated on-street car parking areas that allow for taxis, ride-share, and the general public to undertake passenger pick-up and drop-off. Car share parking: car parking spaces reserved for the long-term storage of car-share vehicles. These are located both on-street and in off-street car parks. Residential parking zone: an area where local residents who hold a residential parking permit are exempt from parking restrictions. Parking removal: the removal of on-street car parking to achieve strategic outcomes, including improving safety and ensuring the efficient movement of public transport, cyclists or freight. Parking consolidation: creating new off-street parking to mitigate the impacts of removing on-street parking, or vice versa. In the Tier 3 context this would be focussed around parking for short stay parking only. Bicycle parking: infrastructure that allows for secure parking of bicycles, typically through a bike-stand. These can be applied both on-street (within the kerbzone), or within off-street car parks. Mobility hubs: Mobility hubs are dedicated areas for the storing of shared transport modes, such as bikes, scooters, and cars. These can be provided on-street, in off-street car parks, or at transit/public transport stations. Parking enforcement: periodic monitoring of parked vehicles to ensure that they are legally parked in accordance with any applicable regulations. Non-compliance with regulations can result in receipt of an infringement notice. Greening the street: Green infrastructure (trees, rain gardens etc) uses natural ecosystem functions to provide benefits such as a reduction in the heat island effect and enhanced treatment of stormwater run-off. Parklets: Parklets are small public spaces created by reallocating on-street car parking to other uses. They often consist of a raised floor to create a flush foot path/parklet surface. Outdoor dining spaces: The reallocation of on-street parking to provide more space for tables and seating outdoors. Other public spaces: create community spaces such as areas with seating, tables, sculptures, playgrounds, and recreational space. Reallocation of parking space to improve walking and cycling: The reallocation of on-street car parking can involve kerb extensions, kerb buildouts at intersections to reduce crossing widths, and support the creation of cycle lanes and additional bike parking to make it safer to walk or cycle to local shops and schools. End of Parking in Auckland