Moving and parking to build the city: How craftsmen and small businesses in the building industry cope with parking constraints in Paris
Résumé
Craftsmen and small businesses in the building industry hold a significant place in local economies and account for a significant share of car trips in the cities, yet their mobility has received little attention from researchers and public policy-makers so far. This study analyses mobility patterns in the building industry and the effects of parking constraints on the basis of a dedicated survey of 81 managers and employees of small businesses operating in the Paris region. The survey used a questionnaire combining quantitative and qualitative, open questions, and included a cartographic component.
The study reveals that most craftsmen are highly mobile, that they face significant road traffic and parking constraints, and that mobility and parking parameters are an integral part of their activity planning tasks. Parking appears as a particularly acute problem in the Paris region as craftsmen are faced with the lack of dedicated (or else) parking areas, the limited size of parking spaces, the risk of incurring parking fines for inadequate parking, and the risk of having the vehicle towed away. In anticipation of such constraints and risks, the professionals tend to adopt a diverse set of strategies, including: adaptation of schedules, on-site delivery of supplies by a third party, use of ICT-based solutions for driving and parking assistance, use of other modes of transport for a subset of their trips, revised pricing for core business activities, decline of business opportunities in most constrained areas. The study further reveals that existing parking permits (or stickers) granted to the professionals only partially address the parking problems of craftsmen and small businesses in the building industry and lack proper dissemination with their target audience. Finally, the study reveals that craftsmen still have a very limited use of smartphone-based solutions to avoid or deal with parking constraints.