Major Advance In Motoring Navigation For Business And Other Travellers

In the month of February 2005 on the 25th we will be launching the first Consumer website dedicated to making it easier for a motorist to find a car park where both the location and facilities at that car park best suit his or her needs. Users are asked if they know that a car park exists and it is not on this website all they have to do is use the Feedback form or tell their local authority.

It is a common misconception that travellers are actually seeking car parks when they travel, a car driver as with others using alternative means of transport is traveling for a purpose and all he wants to do is to accomplish his objective as quickly and conveniently as possible. Our website is based upon the presumption that a motorist wants to get as close as possible to his objective and into a car park which best suits his needs as quickly and easily as possible. So that is what I have done for the 11100+ car parks on my database.

The website is named www.carparks4U.com, and will initially allow users to chose the Town and/or Road Name or Postcode of his/her destination, whether the car park contains a Public and/or Disabled Toilet, Baby Changing Facilities, is long or short stay, Surface or not, Free or not and sells season tickets. Whether these choices remain or are changed will depend on the wishes of the users and the willingness of the operators to provide the necessary additional information, if motorists want something different it can be changed.

One of the features of the site is that it does not seek to usurp the functions of Local Authorities and Parking Management Companies who have the option to pay for an internet link from carpark4u to their own website. Once a motorist has selected the car park that best suits his/her needs, f the option is chosen by the motorist, he can activate that link and will be able to be advised of the details of the nearest shops, offices, hotels, restaurants etc and even reserve a space or buy parking permits online, examples are appended.
As you would expect from a site based on the mapping technology of Multimap, motorists are able to also obtain directions and maps to enable them to go directly to the car park of their choice.

A further innovation is the Traffic Report, which will for the first time enable Local Authorities and operators to track what facilities were selected by motorists and then what were actually realised. The reports will also include copies of all feedback on the site, the car parks and any other points that the motorist wants to use. This will enable motorists for the first time by their actions and comments to tell the providers of the parking what they want and how they would prefer it delivered. It will also enable Local Authorities and Parking Management companies to get feedback on what the customers preferences really are based upon their actual choices which should be better than any survey.

Considerable support has been received from the majority of Local Authorities and private operators, including both Rushmoor Borough Council and 24 7 Parking as the first in the public and private sectors.