Prospects and Sustainability in Car Parking Systems in select Neighbourhoods of Port Harcourt Municipality

Abstract

Well-organised parking in cities promotes urban environmental sustainability and livability. The study aimed to explore and sustain the prospects of parking systems in neighbourhoods of Port Harcourt Municipality, Nigeria. The objectives were ascertaining the parking systems of neighbourhoods of the study area, identifying prospects of parking systems of neighbourhoods of the study area, and identifying measures to sustain the prospects of parking systems in neighbourhoods of the study area. The study adopted a quantitative approach using a descriptive research design. The study employed stratified and simple random sampling techniques to select sampled neighbourhoods and respondents for the study. A stratified sampling technique was employed to group the neighbourhoods into 3 strata (high, medium and low densities). 3 neighbourhoods were selected to represent each stratum namely: PH Township (high density), Orominike-D/Line (medium density) and Orije Layout- Old GRA (low density) for the study. A total of 397 respondents were determined and interviewed using the Taro Yamane formula at a 5% precision level. The study revealed that there exist on-street and off-street parking systems with various parking types including parallel, perpendicular, echelon angled and double-parking types. These parking systems are both off-street and on-street types. The prospects of the parking systems parking spaces in the building premises, along the carriageway on the street, in front of the building, space in other premises, public places and open spaces within the neighbourhoods. These conditions have promoted orderliness, safety, and security of road users such as residents, businesses, and visitors. The study found measures to sustain the prospects are creating more parking spaces/lots and designate parking area in the neighbourhoods, building a paid-parking facility in the neighbourhoods, marking parking areas clearly, government should enforce provision of parking spaces on premises, avoiding parking in the front of buildings where the space is inadequate, stop using designated parking spaces for other purposes, parkers to stop double parking in the streets, and impound broken-down vehicles in the streets. Therefore, to further sustain and enhance the prospects of parking systems in the neighbourhoods, the study recommended all government agencies should synergise to prepare parking plans for neighbourhoods. identify vacant spaces at strategic locations in the neighbourhoods where off-street parking facilities will be provided, clearly mark out designated parking spaces and parking lots along the streets, introduce a paid-parking system in the neighbourhoods, introduce one-side (parallel or perpendicular) parking along streets that are narrow in width, regulate and enforce the elimination of street trading, indiscriminate parking, removal of bad vehicles and discourage double parking in the neighbourhoods.