To wean people off cars, cut back on parking spots

I refer to the letter “Change in mindset needed to wean S’poreans off their cars” (June 15). High Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices do not reduce car usage because of income inequality; a small but significant part of the population will continue to buy and use cars.

However, this is true only if a car is the most convenient and comfortable mode of transport.

In many cities, the biggest disincentive to driving is a lack of parking, which is an extreme inconvenience.

This has already happened in Singapore: At workplaces with limited parking lots, it is close to impossible for ordinary workers up to middle managers to commute by car.

Likewise, if we reduce the number of lots at public housing estates and condominiums, it would become impossible to own a car without parking it illegally every night. Parking and congestion charges here are also cheap compared with other cities.

For example, in Vienna, where the average income is similar to Singapore’s, parking costs €17 (S$25.80) an hour outside its city hall, and €170 a day. At such prices, even a rich man would think twice before driving his car.

At the same time, making car-sharing options available in every housing estate gives everyone, rich or poor, discretionary access to a car when it is needed. Discretionary use of cars is unlikely to lead to congestion as they tend to be used during off-peak hours, and not for commuting to work.

Currently, car sharing is not available to every Singaporean partly because of the low density of sharing stations, which in turn is because driving is still too convenient, as parking is too readily available.

Some people may have occasional need for a car, even if they cannot afford a COE. Government policy should be geared towards ensuring equitable access to mobility for everyone.