Abstract:
Parking standards ensure that the correct parking allocation is provided for at land uses.
Historically, minimum parking standards were applied worldwide, indicating the minimum
number of parking bays that must be provided per land use. Many industrialised countries
now regulate parking allowances by applying a maximum parking rate, limiting the number
of parking bays per land use, which can assist to reduce travel demand and promote
sustainable transport options. South Africa still adheres to minimum parking standards.
Parking standards in South Africa are curated and published by individual local and
metropolitan municipalities. The first objective of this paper is to compare South African
parking standards in various municipalities for numerous land uses. Parking standards
were observed to vary widely between municipal areas, resulting in vastly different parking
requirements for the same land uses. The second objective of this research was to
develop a methodology to conduct representative parking studies to evaluate if there is
regularly an oversupply in parking bays at new developments as a result of minimum
parking requirements. The findings of this paper indicate that South African parking
standards should be reviewed to allow an equitable approach to parking provision between
municipalities. Research into a move to maximum parking standards is also required to
prevent an oversupply of parking and encourage sustainable transport usage where public
transport options are available.
