The Qatar Parking Master Plan (QPMP), a part of Transportation Master Plan for Qatar 2050 (TMPQ), will address all issues related to growing parking needs in the country.
Realising the parking master plan mission moves Qatar closer towards achieving the TMPQ vision as each QPMP goal achieved has an associated benefit, said Executive Summary of QPMP recently made available on the Ministry of Transport's website.
“An improved parking regime will benefit drivers by improving access to areas where it is difficult or unsafe to park now. It will advance new business opportunities and places to live through improved accessibility. It will make more efficient and productive land uses and promote modal shift to public transport and non-motorized travel,” the report said.
According to report, parking revenues generated will be used to improve sustainable transport infrastructure and build out additional parking. “After the infrastructure is built surplus revenues can be used to fund other socially beneficial programs and amenities.”
The TMPQ which was launched last month works as a roadmap for investing in land transportation infrastructure and also identifies the frameworks and future orientations for developing the transportation networks nationwide in a way that ensures their integration with land uses, urban development, population growth and meeting the future demand for transportation.
The plan provides a sustainable framework for efficiently developing and managing parking supply and demand that leverages technological advancements and prioritises integrated mobility and safe accessibility across all transportation modes.
The report says that to keep pace with the momentum of development, the parking master plan has been designed to create an integrated package of parking plans, policies, and regulations applicable to Qatar. “The QPMP addresses the current requirements of parking planning and management, design standards, guidelines, and specifications, as well as those for the years to come.”
It added: “The mission of the QPMP is to integrate with the Transportation Master Plan for Qatar (TMPQ), the Qatar Trip Generation and Parking Rates Manual (QTGPRM), the Qatar Freight Master Plan (QFMP), and other Qatar strategic plans to ensure alignment with the State of Qatar National Vision 2030. The policies, strategies, and enhancements outlined in the QPMP address all parking modes and parking needs required to guide the management strategies for smart parking in the years ahead.”
Throwing light on benefits of QPMP goals, the report says through transition from horizontally to vertically-integrated model of organisationally administering parking regime, the effectiveness of administration will be improved.
“To achieve this transition, the QPMP study recommends the formation of Parking Committee in the short term, and a Parking Authority in the long term. The parking authority will have full responsibility over parking, which includes planning, setting guidelines, implementation, operation, enforcement and setting legislation. The new governance structure will ensure parking is aligned with the land use and transport planning objectives of the State of Qatar.”
Under benefits, the report further reveals that operational efficiency will be improved through better optimisation of the use (turnover and occupancy) of spaces. “The proposed parking regime includes parking management strategies such as pricing, limited duration and permits to ensure parking is efficiently used in terms of parking occupancy, duration, and turnover.”
It added: “Parking management strategies are implemented based on a zonal concept, where the most stringent parking management strategies are implemented in the areas with the greatest level of parking criticality. This will ensure that parking is available for essential users and meets the requirements of the surrounding land uses.”