More than four in five (85%) of Sydney motorists surveyed admitted to avoiding certain locations for fear of not being able to find a car park, according to an NRMA survey released on the same day the mobility group launches the new parking feature on the my nrma app.
In addition, the NRMA survey found that more than 40 per cent (44%) of people have ever returned home from a destination because they couldn't find parking.
The my nrma mobile phone app makes it easier for motorists to find convenient parking at the right prices right across Australia.
Using the app, motorists can search for and compare prices between most publicly available off-street parking stations, as well as pre-book and pay for spots through Divvy Parking.
The NRMA has partnered with Sydney Airport and Park N Fly to offer significant discounts to Members when they pre-book a parking spot.
The App also enables motorists to find the cheapest parking available at almost 4,000 parking stations across Australia.
The NRMA survey of almost 900 Members across Sydney found that more than half (55%) said they had an altercation with other drivers over parking spots, highlighting the stress and frustration many people feel with trying to find a parking spot.
The NRMA survey found 85 per cent identified the Sydney CBD as a particularly frustrating parking location; followed by North Sydney (64%), the Eastern Suburbs (54%) and Parramatta (51%).
The NRMA survey also found:
- Almost one-in-five had spent more than half an hour looking for a park
- Almost all (97%) had ever avoided going to a certain location because they were worried about finding a parking spot
- Primary concerns about parking in Sydney were cost (77%); availability (69%); and parking limits and crowded car parks (60% each)
NRMA Executive General Manager of Mobility, Ed Debenham said today's announcement highlighted NRMA's commitment to investing in technology that would improve people's door-to-door journey, reduce congestion and save on the cost of motoring.
"The results of this NRMA survey further demonstrates the frustration many motorists feel when trying to find affordable parking at convenient locations," Mr Debenham said.
"This makes getting around harder and just adds to the congestion choking key areas around the Sydney CBD, Parramatta and Sydney Airport, because people are driving around at slow speeds trying to find a park.
"When two out of every five Members we survey tell us they are now often avoiding places because of parking, we know access to parking is having an adverse effect on the economy and small businesses.
"A key focus of the my nrma app is to provide simpler parking options using multiple providers, while helping people save money.
"By combining Divvy and the my nrma app, we have delivered new parking options to the community without building one extra parking spot."
The NRMA has launched the Parking component following the success of the popular fuel price search function, which was launched in September and has since led to more than 260,000 downloads of the app.
To download the app, go to the Apple App Store or Google Play store on your smartphone.
