This review included information from cities in North America and Europe as well as detailed evaluation of the costs and benefits of each option. In North America all cities rely on parking meters with a growing trend toward electronic equipment. In Europe there is a mix of meters and pay and display equipment with meters being the choice in many busy locations. The evaluation shows that parking meters are the most economic and convenient choice for on-street parking control. They are also easier to enforce and are reliable.
Parking meters continue to provide best value for street control.
Depending on the economics of the equipment it appears that the City should consider electronic meters and possibly smart card meters once a universal card standard is achieved. This could improve the public convenience, provide positive audit controls and reduce maintenance costs. The City could also consider the use of In Vehicle Parking Meters, particularly for select groups of users like commercial vehicles. This device would complement the City's parking meters and could be used to regulate presently unregulated zones such as commercial lanes or commercial zones. City staff have been proactive in reviewing equipment options and have been testing different types of parking meters including electronic equipment for many years.