The UK government has announced a new set of standards governing the standardisation of parking data across the country.
The new UK parking data standards, developed by the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (ADPS) and funded by the Department for Transport, are expected to streamline the process of ensuring parking data released by both local councils and private car park operators across the UK uses the same language, meaning in-car apps for finding parking spaces are able to access all available data. Local Government Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Hunting for a parking space and then checking if you have the right change to pay for it isn’t the best start to any shopping experience, but it can be the reality more often than not. An intelligent parking system will not only make life easier for commuters, but could also improve footfall to our town centres; meaning both people and local businesses benefit.”
Four research and development centres will be established at Cambridgeshire County Council, Manchester City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and a consortium of city councils in South Essex: each project will receive a share of £1m (€1.13m) to begin implementation of the new UK parking data standardisation. Nigel Williams, Chair of the British Parking Association and Chair of the APDS, said: “The new standards will enable the next generation of apps and connected cars to find a parking space, park and pay with little or no intervention from the driver. The involvement of the British Parking Association in APDS has ensured that the UK is at the forefront of innovation to improve the customer experience of parking.”
Future of Mobility Minister Michael Ellis said: “We are on the brink of a revolution for the future of transport, with ground-breaking technologies creating huge opportunities for cleaner, cheaper, safer and more reliable journeys. We now need to ensure the infrastructure surrounding these technologies is in place and can accommodate these innovations. The new parking data standards will bring government, private organisations and technologies together to ensure a smoother parking experience for drivers.”
