Hull City Council has been awarded £55,000 to use its data to tackle traffic congestion.
The Department for Transport funding will be used to develop a template for sharing traffic and parking information held by the local authority – an approach successfully adopted by Transport for London.
Future of Mobility Minister Michael Ellis said: “We are on the brink of a revolution for the future of transport, with groundbreaking technologies and new data opportunities 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.”
Hull City Council is one of 11 authorities across the country to receive funding to develop solutions for addressing traffic congestion.
Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for transport, said: “Tackling traffic congestion is a top priority for the council and we are delighted to receive a share of this funding to help address the issue.
“We are always keen to explore ways in which we can make our services more effective, and this funding will help to develop a key element of the council’s smart city strategy.”
The allocation of funding to revolutionise parking follows the publication of the Government’s Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy, and is a world-first. By helping to streamline the parking experience and making it easier for drivers to find a suitable parking place, the standards could ultimately free up crucial space, easing congested cities and boosting British high streets.
Nigel Williams, chair of the British Parking Association and of Alliance for Parking Data Standards, 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. The involvement of the British Parking Association in APDS has ensured that the UK is at the forefront of innovation to improve the customer experience of parking.”
