NSW government backs plan for residents to rent out their parking spaces

Drivers could see where parking spots are available on the one smartphone app, while homeowners could rent out their driveways and garages in an AirBnB-style service.

Drivers could be able to know exactly where they can find an available parking spot in real time, with Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello backing a push for data-sharing among private parking providers, councils, and the state government.

Mr Dominello yesterday told the Parking Summit that there is “no excuse” for not having a citywide platform showing real time availability.

And Transport Minister Andrew Constance said improving parking could save $9 billion lost each year through congestion.

A state government parking app is being promoted by Mr Dominello to allow users in certain areas to pay on their mobile phone only for the parking that they use.

The parking summit at the Casula Powerhouse, with MPs Andrew Constance and Victor Dominello at a discussion panel hosted by The Daily Telegraph’s Anna Caldwell. Picture: Toby Zerna

It’s hoped the Park’n’Pay app will also be able to show drivers a live map of where they can get a park.

“In a world where you can order food online (and) track it to your door, in real time, there’s no excuse for not having real time availability in relation to parking,” Mr Dominello said.

“We should be able to see which spots are available, when, where, (and for) how much,” he said.

Mr Dominello said making all available parking spots shown in the one location in real time could make tradies’ lives easier by showing which loading zones are free across the city.

“They won’t have an excuse to be late anymore,” he said.

The digitally-focused minister is pushing a single mobile phone app for drivers looking to park.

The NSW Government held a parking summit at the Casula Powerhouse. Ministers Andrew Constance (R) and Victor Dominello were there. Picture: Toby Zerna

He said “there is no way in Hades” he would “download 20 different parking apps just to navigate between Parramatta and the city”.

That’s despite criticism from some private parking operators who are accusing the state government of market intervention with the Park’n’Pay app.

The Daily Telegraph’s state political editor Anna Caldwell (inset) chaired the Ministers’ panel.

Parking Australia CEO Stuart Norman said the peak body is supportive of “open data” but said the government “should not be in direct competition with commercially available products”.

He said private parking app providers supply the “best possible product” through competition.

Mr Dominello yesterday defended the state government’s intervention as “a 21st Century-style intervention in the market to improve outcomes right across the board”.

Allowing drivers to only pay for exactly how much parking they use could save them up to $15 million in wasted parking time.

Mr Constance said international data indicates that a person spends around 3120 hours over their life looking for a car park.

“That’s 130 days of your life that you’re not getting back,” he said.

In the wake of a damning NRMA report which found parking availability in the city per every ­thousand workers has reduced by 47 per cent, Mr Constance said the government makes “no apologies for actually trying to reduce the ­number of vehicles coming into the CBD”.

PEOPLE COULD RENT OUT THEIR DRIVEWAYS

Smartphone technology and artificial intelligence is set to make parking easier and streets safer across Sydney, while homeowners could soon be able to lease out their unused driveways or garages to commuters via a state government app.

Drivers with iPhones will be able to pay for parking in seconds in selected parts of Sydney without installing an app or creating an account, thanks to an alliance between the government and tech giant Apple.

Commuters will also be able to ditch their wallet when parking at specialised Park & Ride facilities, with the car parks soon to link licence plate, credit card and Opal details.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello says people with iPhones can pay for parking. Picture: Toby Zerna

Artificial intelligence will also be trialled in the Eastern Suburbs to provide real-time data on certain pick up and drop off bays in a bid to inform future planning decisions.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that drivers in Burwood, Chatswood, Mosman, Liverpool and Port Stephens will now be able to pay for parking without downloading an app by just scanning a code on certain parking meters.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the innovation is available to iPhone users running the latest software.

“This is a great enhancement to the popular Park’nPay app, which has had more than 56,000 downloads and a 93 per cent customer satisfaction rating,” he said.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance has approved an idea to allow people to rent out their driveways. Picture: Toby Zerna

Smartphone technology is also set to make commuter car parks easier to use, providing commuters with up to 18 hours of free parking without a need to tap out at the boom gate.

Meanwhile, a proposal to let homeowners rent out their unused driveways and garages on the state government’s app was also given the tick of approval by Mr Dominello and Transport Minister Andrew Constance yesterday.