Finding Melbourne CBD parking spots will be easier, thanks to Australia-first UbiPark app

PARKING your car in Melbourne’s CBD costs the GDP of a small country. But the city council agreeing to release real-time information directing drivers to on-street spots might be a game changer. Here’s how it works.

FINDING a parking spot in the CBD is set to get a lot easier.

A new app using real-time information to direct drivers to on-street spots is a first for Australia.

UbiPark uses data from the City of Melbourne’s IT systems and parking bay sensors to show motorists parking availability.

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Once a spot has been selected the driver is guided to the area using turn-by-turn navigation.

The app also has details like pricing, restrictions and hours of operation for the parking bay.

The UbiPark app.

It reveals pricing info too.

UbiPark CEO Mosstyn Howell said that finding a parking spot, especially in peak times, could be daunting.

“Often motorists will circle trying to find a space with the right restrictions in the right area,

which can cause congestion issues within the CBD,” he said.

“We want to make it as simple and easy as possible for motorists to find a car park. Using real-time information … we can help direct motorists from their home to their destination easily, while helping to reduce congestion.”

Melbourne is the first city to have UbiPark, and the company is urging other cities in Australia to release their parking data so the service can operate there.

Melbourne City Council recently announced a 27 per cent parking fee hike for the CBD, bringing the hourly rate to $7.

Total parking fee revenue is expected to be $52 million in 2018-19 — a 12.7 per cent rise on last year.

@JMasanauskas