London’s Westfield shopping centers are the latest locations to benefit from The British Parking Association’s (BPA) Park Active initiative, which is reconfiguring parking strategies at high-demand locations by enabling motorists to park at designated sites and complete their journey by foot or bicycle.
Park Active creates a standardized framework for parking facilities in critical urban areas including retail centers, city centers, hospitals, and universities. Dedicated active travel routes with specific signage help redirect transportation patterns and optimize space usage.
Isaac Occhipinti, head of external affairs for the BPA, describes the program as a “practical, low-cost behaviour change tool that can help improve the air quality around some of our cities and town centres.”
The implementation targets key mobility challenges by reducing congestion and promoting alternative transportation modes. Katie Wyle from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield emphasizes the initiative’s goal of “enhancing customer experience while also supporting more sustainable travel choices.”
The program strategically reallocates parking spaces to prioritize short-stay shoppers and blue badge holders, creating a more efficient urban transportation ecosystem.
