Parking and Sustainable Urban Mobility

Parking policy, and any potential change in it, is a highly contested issue in most cities. The integration of parking measures into a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) can help achieve long-term goals.

1 minute read

October 12, 2022, 7:00 AM PDT

By Todd Litman


Photo of European road in medieval city

European Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans / SUMP Guide

The European Union's CIVITAS Initiative works to make sustainable and smart urban mobility a reality for all in Europe and beyond. It sponsors research and develops resources that provide practical guidance for creating more sustainable and livable cities. It also sponsors development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) for all major cities.

The Park4SUMP project focuses on parking management. It identifies ways to efficiently manage on- and off-street parking. 

A new handy guide, Parking and SUMP: Using parking management to achieve SUMP objectives, is designed to help city officials incorporate parking management strategies into SUMPs. It identifies specific phases in the SUMP planning process where parking management measures should be considered. 

The guide acknowledges that efficient parking is an essential and strategic measure for managing travel demand and achieving SUMP objectives. This Guide is part of a compendium of guidance documents for developing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.

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