Kuwait suffers from a severe shortage in parking spaces, with approximately 47,632 shortage of spaces, making it one of the highest in the world, a recent real estate study revealed.
The study, prepared by Aayan Real Estate Company in cooperation with Stetter Company, pointed out that the shortage of parking spaces has worsened to a level that requires urgent intervention from the government, indicating that if measures are not taken, the problem is likely to worsen that it may completely hinder the infrastructure.
One of the key findings of the report is that drivers in Kuwait spend an average of 10 minutes searching for parking, leading to increased fuel consumption, higher pollution levels, and compromised pedestrian safety. Vehicles parked on sidewalks and pedestrian pathways force pedestrians onto busy roads, creating additional risks.
The report focused on three commercial areas, such as Sharq, Qibla and Mirqab in Kuwait city. There are 125 properties in the Qibla area designated for government and private offices, with a total area of 740,674 square meters of work and retail space. The total available indoor and outdoor parking spaces in this area is approximately 16,392 spaces, where as the actual requirement is approximately 27,382 spaces.
The Mirqab area includes 49 properties designated as offices with a total area of 662,491 square meters of work and retail space. The total current demand for parking spaces in the area is approximately 24,437 spaces, while the total available indoor and outdoor parking spaces combined is approximately 9,866 spaces only.
The report also stated that the Sharq area consists of 103 properties designated as offices, with a total area of 795,064 square meters of work and retail space. The current demand for parking spaces in this area is approximately 29,433 spaces, while the total available indoor and outdoor parking spaces combined is approximately 7,363 spaces only, the report added.
The study also suggested recommendations, including aligning the current regulations and laws of the Kuwait Municipality with international best practices, to prevent the accumulation of any new problems in future real estate projects and encouraging the creation of multi-storey parking lots on public lands by involving the private sector.
The report also suggested implementing smart parking solutions that provide instant information about parking availability in crowded areas, helping drivers make the appropriate decision whether to continue searching for a parking space or head to an alternative location.
The study suggest a mass transportation system such as the metro or public transportation as a long term solution. However it added that ensuring effective means of transportation for the final connection via a bus network is necessary to increase the demand for the use of mass transportation.