This week has seen torrential rain in the city where our head office is based. Train stations, homes, roads, and city infrastructure were flooded after 4 hours of rainfall hit the city. This is not the first instance of flooding this year, with alerts issued in February, May, June, and July. With no sign of extreme weather conditions letting up, this week's blog turns to how to protect parking facilities and infrastructure from rainwater damage, and how to prevent occurrences like this in the future.

'Auto-Besity' has become the latest buzzword in the parking industry. Whilst certainly an eye-catching headline, is the increasing sizes of private vehicles really a topic for parking professionals to be concerned about? Well, we're going to deep dive into that topic today.  Auto-Besity is a term coined to refer to the size of passenger vehicles, mainly, the recent surge in SUV ownership. According to a study conducted by Mathilde Carlier, SUV ownership has increased significantly worldwide since 2017.

Parking can be a major headache for some. Yes, if you are reading this you are most likely in the parking industry, but we all know when not managed correctly, parking can be a pain. It can often be expensive to build and maintain parking spaces, and it can be difficult to find parking for employees and customers. Shared mobility can help cities, venues, airports, and more to solve these problems and improve their bottom line. Searching for a car space is a well-known frustration for us all.

In recent years, major global cities have been grappling with the multifaceted challenges posed by urbanization, pollution, and traffic congestion. One strategy gaining prominence in metropolitan areas across the world is the implementation of increased parking fees specifically targeting SUVs. Paris, London, New York City, and San Francisco have all taken steps to address the implications of SUVs on urban life. The controversial proposal by these to increase parking fees for SUVs has garnered conflicting responses from residents, some agreeing that the larger vehicles have no place in inner …

Another month is gone, and although typically a quiet month for industry updates we still have plenty to share with you for July! We will start with what we are most passionate about at Parking Network: People! People News PayByPhone announced the appointment of Nick Hamill as Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 August 2023. EasyPark ANZ has announced two significant additions to their team, Robert Di Cristo joins as General Manager, Smart Cities, and Steve Hargitay comes on board as General Manager, Off Street Parking.

Are you guilty of parking in an unauthorized spot every once in a while? A quick stop to grab a package or run some errands? Well, you might want to think twice next time when you pull over, and leave your car unattended on a curb, you could be removed by the next stage in parking enforcement - robots.  Parking automation has come a long way, but is certainly not a new concept. In fact, the first instance of an automated parking system appeared in Paris, France in 1905 at the Garage Rue du Ponthieu.

Ireland is a small country ideal for a robust EV charging infrastructure, with a mild (if a little damp) climate, relatively short distances between major cities, a partially owned national electrical supply, and no prominent mountain ranges running down the middle of the country. All of this is ideal for a booming EV culture, and Ireland has certainly risen to the occasion in the past 3 years...in the bigger cities at least. In 2022 over 15,000 electric cars were registered in Ireland, and this number is expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

The Parking Industry is on fire right now (sometimes literally but we'll get to that). With the sale of EV vehicles booming and the world looking to develop greener and more sustainable infrastructure, demands are higher than ever to revamp the way we approach urban living. This is good news for those in the parking industry as it means a lot of business for developing greener parking technology, environmentally friendly construction methods, EV charging points and hubs, and overall nurtures endless possibilities for innovations and solutions.

June 2023 witnessed significant developments in the parking industry, specifically with vehicle-centric digital services, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and sustainable mobility solutions. Major collaborations and initiatives aimed to enhance the driving experience, simplify parking and charging, and promote green transportation. Overall it's been a busy month, and if you're already reading this we're willing to bet that you have been just as busy, but don't worry, we have all the news wrapped up for you here!

Venue Parking can either be an asset or a pitfall for you and your customers - depending on how you manage it. This week in our blog we will look at the basic dos and don'ts when it comes to event and venue parking, an often overlooked aspect of event planning.  There's nothing like inadequate parking that can put a dampener on an event. Whether you are attending, hosting, or even just living close to an event venue, disorganized parking can quickly turn into a nightmare. Congestion, potential accidents, obstruction of emergency exits, street overflow...