Parking Requirements in Some Major Asian Cities

Abstract

Parking requirements are a hotly debated element of parking policy. Yet such requirements are common worldwide. Little effort had been made, however, to make international comparisons that could place local policies into wider perspective. This study focused on parking requirement policies in 14 cities in South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Cities in these regions have tended to be high in urban density, relatively low in car ownership, and, in some cases, strongly transit-oriented in their urban transport systems. In the West, localities with these characteristics often reject the suburban-style parking policy that requires minimum parking, and adopt alternatives. Nevertheless, all Asian cities in the study did enforce such parking requirements on building developments. This surprising enforcement result raised questions. Are these Asian parking requirement policies really similar to those in the West? Are criticisms of Western policies relevant in Asia? Are there lessons to be drawn from parking requirement practices in this region? Such questions were addressed through comparisons of parking requirement policies in the 14 Asian cities (and with reference to Western practice, especially in North America and Australia). The study drew on information collected for a wider study of parking policy in Asia commissioned by the Asian Development Bank. The results revealed diversity, including some distinctive approaches. The findings should provide insights that are useful in debates on parking policy reform, inside and outside the region.