For most urban centres, space is a limited resource whose shortage comes with a string of other problems. One of the most annoying ones, especially for vehicle owners, is the lack of parking spaces. Since many households now own more than one car, public parking spaces and even dedicated home garages are often not enough, and people are forced to seek alternatives .Most resort to parking on pavements, at the side of the road and sometimes even outside homes, further reducing available space. Not only is this highly insecure, but it also increases the occurrence of accidents. Multi-storey and stack car parks can eradicate the problems caused by a lack of parking space.
Since the population and number of vehicles on the road will only continue to increase, there is a need to use space as efficiently as possible. For car parks, multi-level designs and stack car parks are the next revolutions, bearing numerous benefits to the cities, vehicle owners, car park managers and the general public.
What is a Multi-Storey Car Park?
Multi-Storey car parks are parking facilities where vehicles occupy various floors, either operated manually through exterior and interior ramps or automatically via vehicle lifts and robot systems. In a stack car park, vehicles are piled on top of each other and are retrievable by lifts and levers. This results in an increase in the capacity of the parking lot, allowing more vehicles to be parked at a given time.
Below are some of the reasons why car park managers should implement multi-storey and stack car parks designs.
How Multi-Storey and Stack Car Parks Benefit Cities
Increased Flow of Traffic
Traffic congestion is another major nuisance to drivers, especially in congested urban areas. A lack of parking contributes significantly to traffic jams. Many drivers choose to risk fines and park their vehicles at the side of roads or on pavements. This forces other vehicles to move slower and results in traffic congestion.
Stack Car Parks situated at strategic points will relieve the roads from unlawfully parked vehicles, increasing the rate of traffic flow.
Reduced Pollution
The shortage of packing facilities often comes at a great cost to the environment. Drivers burn up more fuel when they are forced to circle several blocks looking for somewhere to park. These reduce the quality of air in the city and could cause health complications to the residents. In the long-run, the emissions cause irreversible damage to the ozone layer, hurting the health of the planet.
With multi-storey and stack car parks, an increase in their holding capacity will eventually result in fewer drivers stranded on the streets, reducing the levels of harmful emissions.
Improved Security
Vehicles parked outside are left unprotected and are therefore prone to vandalism and theft. Driving around in search of parking spaces also increases the risk of drivers wandering to insecure areas where they can encounter problems.
How Do Multi-Storey and Stack Car Parks Benefit Facility Owners?
Increase Parking Capacity and Revenue
Implementing a stack car park or multi-storey design is a very cost-effective way to increase the capacity of your parking lot. If you had a capacity of fifty vehicles on the ground, you could multiply this 3, 4 or even up to 5 times and reap the benefits of a larger car park. This comes without the hefty expenses of making your facility larger but this investment can be recovered in the long run.
Better Efficiency
Operating a stack car park is easier than the conventional parking lot, both for the driver and the lot manager. All the driver has to do is take their vehicles to a specific area and leave the rest to the lifts. At no time will they have to drive around the parking lot searching for space. For the manager, the automation of most of the processes reduces their work to the click of buttons, making it faster and more efficient.
Increased Security
Security is an important factor for any parking facility as no manager wants to deal with vandalised vehicles or missing car parts. The stack design means most of the vehicles are above ground level, safe thieves and vandals. There will also be a lower chance of security incidences such as mugging since the customers wait for their vehicles in safe, designated areas.
Increased Property Value
For a commercial tenancy building, having sufficient parking for all residents is a plus that increases the property’s attractiveness. Therefore, building a stack car park for a residential facility not only makes life easier for the occupants but also increases the market value of the property significantly.
Areas that Could Benefit from Multi-Level and Stack Car Park Facilities
Some areas are notorious for lacking packing spaces and could benefit more from stack car parks:
• Shopping Districts: City areas designated for shopping often have more vehicles than the available parking can accommodate. Multi-Storey parking will only take up a little of the available space and cater to a lot of vehicles.
• Metro Stations: Most people get to metro stations via private means, park nearby, and head to their destination. As a result, the need for parking spaces around such areas is also high.
• Business and Commercial Centres: These are often the worst offender when it comes to parking violations. Most motorists squeeze their vehicles into available spaces and “dash in” to shop.
Since the population and the number of vehicles on the road will always be on an increase, conventional parking will be no longer feasible in the near future. It, therefore, becomes necessary to make the most of the available space, and multi-storey and stack car parks offer the ideal solution. Efficient parking will not only facilitate the realisation of smart cities but also holds several benefits for the drivers, car park operators and owners, pedestrians and investors.
