Polypark
“The most important motoring innovation since cats eyes”
– a Polypark trials motorist

European Parking Systems (EPS) have spent 3 years in development and patenting of Polypark systems. By focusing on human factors and driver behaviour we have evolved nothing less than

Car Park – Version 2.0.

The simplest way to explain the Polypark proposition to motorists and car park operators, including retailers and property developers is a problem, solution, and benefits analysis.

The Problem(s) – for motorists

• About half of all impacts and a fifth of car insurance claims arise in car parks. This does not include car crime. Motorists may not know these figures – but they are very aware of the problem. Given a chance, many become very vocal on the subject!
• 64% of U.K motorists surveyed say that leaving their car in a public car park is “risky” or “unsafe”. (Only 11% of those cite car crime as the most important reason).
• The three most important reasons given are, in diminishing order:-
• Damage to their car.
• Too narrow a gap to open doors when they return to their car.
• People and shopping trolleys passing between parked cars.
• “High turnover”, retail and similar car parks are perceived to be the greatest parking hazard for motorists. 53% of motorists surveyed say that a supermarket near them would gain new business if it were to provide safer and more convenient car parking.
• The basic aim of any service industry is to exceed the expectations of its customers.
  These figures show that, taken as an industry, car parking is woefully under-performing in the view of motorists - its customers.
  

The Problem – for Operators and Developers

• In any reasonably large car park a significant number of car bays are “wasted” by careless or selfish positioning of adjoining cars. This reduces parking capacity – especially at peak times, and irritates arriving customers. (The average motorist drives past about three parking spaces before finding one which they feel “comfortable” in using).
• Car park densities reflect the time honoured standard dimensions of individual car bays and parking aisles. For a given area of car park perimeter, the number of parking spaces and parking capacity are determined by those dimensions. (U.K standard dimensions have not changed significantly since the late 1940s, when small pre-war pattern cars were the norm. In 2003 there is a good functional argument for providing larger car bays and aisles, with even less car park capacity – but the costs would be staggering)!
• In retail or commercial property development the size of building and ultimate property value - or development profit, are directly related to the capacity of the on site car park provided. The “parking standards” operated by Local Planning Authorities vary, but this equation almost always holds good.