Call for greater clarity in the division of responsibilities
for Park & Ride
HSL and the Finnish Transport Agency propose that the costs of
Park & Ride should be allocated on the basis of a beneficiary
pays approach. The costs would be divided between the municipality
where the facility is located, the destination municipality, the
user’s home municipality and the State. The proposal stems from the
need to clarify the division of responsibilities and costs in order
to promote the development of Park & Ride in the Helsinki
region.
At present, according to law, the owner of the parking area or
facility is responsible for the parking arrangements. In practice
the responsible bodies in the Helsinki region include
municipalities, VR, the Finnish Transport Agency and the Uusimaa
Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. In
some cases there is cooperation with business and industry. The
responsibilities are defined separately for each parking facility,
and no one has the responsibility for Park & Ride as a
whole.
“Park & Ride must be developed in a consistent and
purposeful manner in order to make it a well-functioning part of
the transport system so that it increases people’s possibilities to
use public transport,” emphasizes HSL’s Executive Director Suvi
Rihtniemi.
"The aim is to develop Park & Ride as a whole, independent
of municipal boundaries, to contribute to an integrated urban
structure. The strategy provides a good basis for the negotiations
on the division of costs and responsibilities," says Anne Herneoja,
Director General of the Finnish Transport Agency.
Increasing Park & Ride parking reduces congestion
Congestion is significantly reduced if, for example, commuters
leave their cars at Park & Ride sites and use public transport
for part of the way. The possibility of Park & Ride parking
should be offered in as early stage of the journey as possible to
keep the car journeys as short as possible.
The growing population and expansion of the commuting area in
particular have increased traffic volumes in the Helsinki region
and led to increased congestion on the main roads. At many Park
& Ride sites parking spaces get filled early in the morning and
there are not enough parking spaces for all who desire them.
HSL and the Finnish Transport Agency propose that the number of
Park & Ride spaces for cars would be increased from 9,000 to
19,600 spaces by 2020. Bicycle spaces should be increased by
18,000. At the moment, there are some 10,000 Park & Ride spaces
for bicycles. The proposal is based on the Helsinki region Park
& Ride strategy and program of measures published in
December.
The Park & Ride strategy and program of measures cover the
14 Helsinki region municipalities. The strategy looks to 2035,
while the related program of measures runs up to 2020. Park &
Ride and its development are included in the Helsinki Region
Transport System Plan HLJ 2011 as well as in the Letter of Intent
on Land Use, Housing and Transport in the Helsinki region.
Decisions on the division of costs and responsibilities will be
made by the end of 2015. HSL and the Finnish Transport Agency are
responsible for their preparation.