Can 'No Parking' Zones Make Business Sense?

Aashish Mishra

Local businesses and storefronts are vital to any urban economy. They bring communities together, provide daily essentials more easily and cheaply and make neighbourhoods vibrant. And there is no denying that vehicle accessibility and convenient parking are crucial factors that influence the number of customers these establishments receive. That is why declaring commercial streets as no parking zones sounds counterintuitive. This week, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) took such a step and prohibited street parking in New Road, much to the anger and fright of the shop owners there. But, speaking purely from a business point of view, this could be a blessing in disguise. 

Yes, parking creates convenience for potential customers, but it can also be a hassle keeping buyers away. The thought of having to find a parking space along busy streets can keep people, especially those with cars, out of certain neighbourhoods entirely. But when they become no parking zones, people will, at first, get enraged, but then, they will get used to the idea of a certain location or locality not being for vehicles. This is a difficult concept to iterate but it is about eventual acceptance. People will not stop going to New Road, they will, sooner or later, stop bringing their cars and motorcycles there.

But, even if we overlook this point, there is no denying that designating a street as a no parking zone enhances walkability. Without the clutter of parked cars and bikes, pedestrians will have more space to navigate and explore local shops. Signboards and display windows will also have a greater chance of catching people’s eyes because they will not be hidden behind vehicles. A vehicle-free street becomes more inviting to pedestrians and can boost their shopping experience. There are numerous international examples to cite here. Areas with improved walkability tend to see an increase in overall economic activity. People are more likely to linger, discover new business and make impromptu purchases when they do not have to squeeze between cars to cross the street or have to view the unappealing sight of rows after rows of stopped motorcycles.

If planned and coordinated properly, the very businesses worrying about losses may be able to develop additional avenues of income in parking-free roads. Imagine cafes expanding beyond their shutters and setting up outdoor seating, street vendors having designated spots on footpaths or venues for open-air performances using the space once used for parking vehicles. Even if the local government takes an antagonistic view toward road-based commerce, as KMC currently does, it can turn street-side parking lots to extend footpaths, plant trees, build Chautaras and Phalchas or set up something like weekend farmers’ markets. The point I am trying to make is that the vacant spaces can be used to foster public gatherings and when people gather, they will obviously eat and drink at local restaurants, purchase snacks and other Kirana items at local shops and wander around other stores and businesses. Additionally, such spaces will add character to neighbourhoods.

More broadly, no parking zones will promote sustainable urban transportation. Designated no parking zones can encourage the use of public transit, cycling and walking, reducing overall congestion and contributing to a healthier environment. To clarify with an example, a person coming to New Road may now choose to use a micro or a bus or, if they have one, take their bicycle. This means there will be one less polluting vehicle on the road from their home to their destination. Or, even if they do use their personal automobile, they will have to park it at the Kathmandu View Tower, which itself can now become a new commercial complex owing to the increased footfall. No parking streets have a knock-on effect across the city.

But for all or any of this to be possible, city officials must plan, communicate and collaborate. They must plan about (a) how to enable businesses to cope with the inevitable short-term losses, (b) how to prevent over-parking and congestion in areas around the streets made parking free (as is supposedly being seen in alleys and yards around New Road) and (c) how to utilise the empty spaces they will have available to them in the public interest. Authorities must communicate these ideas to the residents and business owners that will be most affected by this, and they must heed the responses they receive. The era of top-down policymaking has well and truly passed. And they must collaborate with other entities, local clubs, associations and business groups, to ensure a sustainable implementation. 

No parking is not something to be afraid of. It may be an immediate inconvenience, but it can boost business in the long run. Of course, much of the onus is on the KMC.