The study, published in April 2024, evaluates how multi‑use parking and digital booking systems can reduce the need for dedicated resident parking in Swiss cities. Using the German guideline EAR 05, the authors calculate parking demand for spatially defined areas by combining accessibility, duration restrictions and fee structures. The method distinguishes between city‑core zones in large urban centres, medium‑size centres, historic districts and rural areas, allowing planners to map deficits and surpluses for each user group. In the case of Basel, the analysis shows that the demand for resident parking exceeds the supply by a wide margin, implying a large potential for savings. For example, the model predicts that at least 60 parking spaces could be re‑allocated to residents while maintaining a 95 % security level for all users.

The report also reviews the performance of existing digital booking platforms in Switzerland. Early adopters such as ParkU and Park It, launched in 2013, offered smartphone‑based booking of privately owned, publicly accessible spaces but were eventually shut down due to low utilisation. More recent services, SharedParking (established 2008) and Parcandi (2020), provide a broader range of spaces, including private garages and lockable boxes. SharedParking listed 144 spaces in December 2021, allowing monthly reservations that must be confirmed by the owner; the platform is free for both providers and users. Parcandi charges by actual usage, with hourly rates and daily tariffs that vary by location; in Basel the average daily fee is about CHF 10, roughly half the cost of a blue‑zone daily pass. Despite these options, the study notes that Swiss platforms have not yet achieved high adoption, suggesting that further incentives or integration with municipal parking schemes are needed.

A key part of the research was a survey of residents who had purchased a resident parking card in the last three years. The questionnaire captured parking behaviour, willingness to shift to alternative transport modes, and the frequency of car use. While the sample is not fully representative, it indicates that many households rarely use their second or third vehicles, pointing to a substantial opportunity for car‑free or car‑light living. The authors caution that the survey did not capture substitution effects or demographic differences, and recommend follow‑up studies that combine quantitative and qualitative methods.

The project was carried out by the Verkehrsplanung und -technik (VPT) working group, led by Tschopp and Stoiber, and is part of the Swiss Mobility Platform. The research was conducted up to April 2024 and draws on the 2004 study by Hollmann, which informed the EAR 05 guidelines. By integrating demand modelling, digital booking analysis, and user surveys, the study provides a comprehensive assessment of how multi‑use parking can be optimised to reduce the need for dedicated resident spaces, thereby supporting more sustainable urban mobility.