Britain’s parking woes could soon be over as new apps will make it easier for you to find a space

Britains’ parking woes could soon be over, with an app boost making it easier for drivers to find a space.

The Department for Transport claims national guidelines for sharing parking data will take the pressure off drivers when looking for empty and affordable spaces.

New standards for how local councils and private companies exchange parking information were described by the DfT as a “world-first”.

Up to £1million will be pumped into research and development projects in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Manchester and Oxfordshire to build on parking assistance apps.

The project will help motorists track down free spaces, as well as giving them info on the dimensions and cost of spots across the UK.

And it could ease congestion in towns caused by drivers searching for somewhere to leave their car.

The standards have been created by the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS), which was set up by parking industry bodies and funded by the DfT.

Nigel Williams, APDS chairman, said: “The new standards will enable the next generation of apps and connected cars to find a parking space, park and pay with little or no intervention from the driver.”

Edmund King, AA president, said: “It has been estimated that the average motorist spends up to four days per year just looking for a parking space which causes congestion, increased emissions and sometimes road rage.

“Improving smart and shared data on parking availability would be welcome relief to the millions of drivers just going round in circles searching for the holy grail of a parking spot.”

Michael Ellis, Future of Mobility minister, said: “We are on the brink of a revolution for the future of transport, with ground-breaking technologies creating huge opportunities for cleaner, cheaper, safer and more reliable journeys.

“We now need to ensure the infrastructure surrounding these technologies is in place and can accommodate these innovations.

“The new parking data standards will bring government, private organisations and technologies together to ensure a smoother parking experience for drivers.”

Standards could also help drivers avoid parking tickets, potentially saving as much as £100 each, by giving them more information on restricted parking.

Some 6.81million penalty charges were handed to British drivers by parking management firms in 2018-19, according to RAC Foundation analysis.

Parking companies obtain records from the DVLA to chase car owners for alleged infringements in private car parks such as at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service areas.

Earlier this month, we revealed thousands more motorists were being forced to pay for parking as 2,500 new streets had restrictions imposed since 2016.

We also revealed the areas you’re most likely to be slapped with a parking fine.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/9183537/britains-parking-woes-could-soon-be-over-as-new-apps-will-make-it-easier-for-you-to-find-a-space/