In Vilnius, there are more than 400 cars per XNUMX inhabitants, according to the data of the Lithuanian Statistics Department. This is a quarter more than in London or Berlin. It is not surprising that such a situation creates parking problems in the city. Representatives of the municipality and real estate developers tell how the problem of the lack of parking spaces in Vilnius is being solved.
Vilnius city municipalities JUDU, the company that manages transportation services, calculates that a Vilnius family living in the city center has an average of 1,25 cars per family, while in the farms of families living further from the city center, this number increases to 1,5 cars. By comparison, in London and Berlin only one in two families owns a car at all.
As a result, when solving the problem of parking spaces, the municipality is constantly looking for ways to improve not only parking, but also the possibilities of traveling by other means of transport.
"Efficient public transport network, creating an environment suitable for pedestrians and cyclists, the possibility of using cars, bicycles, e- scooter rental services - all this gradually creates opportunities to give up, if not the only, then at least the second car in the family", says Marius Pakėnas, JUDU's mobility expert.
The role of real estate developers is important
He adds that real estate developers developing new projects could also be more vocal about travel alternatives around their real estate project. From public transport to car sharing services.
"It would be useful to name it clearly, so that the resident, when choosing a new home, could assess whether he will basically need a car for daily trips in the city." More attention should also be paid to the installation of the necessary infrastructure in their territory, such as lockable bicycle sheds. It is likely that this decision would encourage more people to choose a bicycle instead of a car. The result of all these measures is a decrease in the number of cars on the streets, which also means a lower need for parking," emphasizes the specialist.
Edita Gudauskienė, head of sales and customer experience at real estate development company Omberg group, agrees that real estate developers must promote sustainable mobility.
"By responsibly choosing a location for a project under development, real estate developers are already significantly contributing to a lower need for cars. When developing projects, we constantly strive to ensure that they not only have enough parking spaces, but also allow for more sustainable travel alternatives, such as public transport or bicycle vehicles. The need for a car is also reduced if a person has all the services he needs around his home - educational and medical institutions, shops, places to eat, green areas", says E. Gudauskienė.
The citizens of Vilnius can also initiate the improvement of the sites
Although it is expected that the need for cars in Vilnius will gradually decrease, the municipality understands that it will not disappear completely. Therefore, the city has several programs that help ensure convenient and accessible parking spaces.
According to Anton Nikitin, chief engineer of the Vilnius city municipality, the need for parking in the districts of Vilnius changes along with the changing population and demographics, however, the districts built during the Soviet era have fewer parking spaces.
"The city solves the issue of parking in several directions. First of all, we provide and expand parking on city streets where possible. Also, a part of the existing parking lots in the courtyards is managed by installing cellular coverings", says A. Nikitin.
He adds that Vilnius residents themselves can initiate the improvement of their environment, including parking lots in their yards, according to the Neighborhood Program.
Paid places are requested by residents
According to A. Nikitin, in order to ensure order and control the demand for parking spaces, last year Vilnius city municipality also expanded the spaces of paid parking spaces in the city, and in some places charged parking in residential areas. As the specialist explains, such measures have worked to regulate traffic. M. Pakėnas adds that the residents themselves have asked to charge for parking spaces in residential areas.
"Some residential areas are taxed precisely at the request of the residents - this limits the construction of extraneous vehicles, and residents are given the opportunity to purchase annual permits at favorable prices. Some of the newly charged places were enabled recently - less than half a year ago," says the mobility expert.
Plots in new projects
As for parking lots at newly built real estate projects, A. Nikitin points out that the number of spaces is determined by legal acts - it is usually required to provide one parking space per dwelling, and in the central part of the city these requirements are somewhat lower.
E. Gudauskienė states that not only the amount of parking spaces is important when developing real estate projects, but also how the parking lots are built.
"Not everyone can give up cars, so a sufficient number of parking spaces is necessary when developing new real estate projects. We see that in rapidly expanding areas further from the city center, real estate developers often choose standard parking lot solutions without investing a little more. When developing our projects, we always think about the future settler first. For example In Pilaite our project "Vyšnios" is being developed - practically the only one of its kind in the area with underground parking spaces. After all, underground parking is not only more convenient for residents, but also ensures a more beautiful and pleasant living environment", says E. Gudauskienė.
