Dear friends and colleagues,

We are coming to the end of another year that continues to have ups and downs. We were forced to postpone the 20th EPA Congress to 2022, but with all the changes that have come about, the Scientific and the Steering Committees, well aware of the difficulties and challenges, have persevered in planning and preparing all the logistical and social organisational aspects and setting up the scientific program and the international exhibition, to assure a revolutionary event that will set the course for years to come.

In the midst of all the challenges, we have experienced a return to our activities and many positive signs have appeared. Although recent developments are the result once again of an insufficient generalised pragmatic attitude, this time round, thanks to the vaccinations and an increased general awareness we can look ahead confidently.

On a positive note our service sector, that offers a multitude of services to the static component of the mobility system, continues to be dynamically reactive in responding to the new challenges generated and accelerated by the pandemic.

We are seeing the changes in the traditional parking activities indicating the opening up and integration with multi-modal service provisions and with management policies that pay attention to sustainability and integration with mobility stakeholders. Here the new services include vehicle parking, last mile delivery services, sharing mobility services, EV charging, environmental access management, seamless payment systems, data, etc.

The transformational process from motorcar parking management services to multi-modal hub management activities is the focus implementing smart digital connectivity parking solutions, seamlessly integrating to Smart Mobility and Smart City solutions.

One thing is for sure: parking is not what it once was – the awareness of both the multifunctional possibilities of the existing on and off street parking infrastructures for both the public and private parking sectors together with the notion that parking capacity is part of the urban space are rapidly changing the face of the sector.

In preparing for the 20th EPA Congress in Brussels in the month of September we have seen and shared in numerous webinars many new smart services set up and running both related to the on-street parking supply, the off-street parking offer and the incredible development of new technological and digitally orientated solutions.

The Congress, more than ever, will include trends in the parking industry, national and local public administration’s policies, indications from representatives of European Commissions and Projects, experts in the field of mobility, contributions to urban logistics, responding to electrical mobility requirements, the data world, ITS, Apps and much more. We will be examining the overall parking and urban mobility situation in Europe enabling us to address wider issues of urban mobility alongside detailed parking matters. It will surely be a memorable event getting the parking and mobility worlds together again for the 20th EPA Congress in the heart of Europe.

We are entering the Christmas festive season that this year will still differ from what we were used to but with a greater dose of confidence. On behalf of EPA and the Steering and Scientific Committees, I wish you all a peaceful and safe holiday period, good health and positive thoughts for 2022.

With my very best regards,

Laurence A. Bannerman
President
European Parking Association