Despite the availability of vast parking spaces adjacent to shopping malls, hypermarkets, banks, public entertainment facilities such as parks, beaches and other places where a large number of people visit in Qatar, getting a convenient parking slot, especially in Doha city, can be difficult at times. This can be attributed mainly to the high density of private vehicles plying on the city roads and some commuters spurning the public transport facilities like Doha Metro and public buses.
For the last few years, Qatar has been striving to make public transport more attractive by adding different commuter modes and constantly modernising land transport infrastructure. In order to improve and regulate the transport sector, the country recently launched an ambitious Transportation Master Plan for Qatar 2050 (TMPQ) which is expected to increase public transport accessibility to education facilities and workplaces by 50%. Qatar Parking Master Plan (QPMP) a part of the TMPQ will address all issues related to growing parking needs in the country.
“An improved parking regime will benefit drivers by improving access to areas where it is difficult or unsafe to park now. It will advance new business opportunities and places to live through improved accessibility. It will make more efficient and productive land uses and promote modal shift to public transport and non-motorized travel,” said an Executive Summary of QPMP made available on the Ministry of Transport website.
According to the report, parking revenues generated will be used to improve sustainable transport infrastructure and build additional parking and any surplus revenue can be used to other socially beneficial programmes and amenities. The TMPQ works as a roadmap for investing in land transportation infrastructure and also identifies the frameworks and future orientations for developing the transportation networks nationwide in a way that ensures their integration with land uses, urban development, population growth and meeting the future demand for transportation.
Providing a convenient and well-connected public transport network can go a long way in not only reducing the ever growing number of private vehicles in the country, but also will result in considerable reduction in harmful gas emissions, which is a high priority for Qatar.
According to TMPQ, there will be expected 28% reduction in journey time for all road-based modes while there will be 85% increase in public transport coverage outside Doha Metropolitan area. This will in turn automatically create a cut in demand for parking spaces. Right now most of the parking facilities in Qatar are offered free of charge and if it turns out to be a paid facility it will be instrumental in discouraging people to use private vehicles.
