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Real-time data about the availability of parking spaces is now available to everyone in the Netherlands. The Dutch National Vehicle and Driving Licence Registration Authority (RDW) has adopted the Q-Park format for making this kind of data available through a new, user-friendly platform for mobility data. Market players and municipalities can use the data to develop applications to increase parking convenience for visitors and municipalities. Q-Park provided the basis for the platform. For several years now, through its own web service Q-Park has been the sole provider of information about vacant parking spaces, opening times and tariffs to apps and websites such as that of the Dutch association for motorists, the ANWB. Q-Park is also the first to offer information via the national open data portal.

Thanks to real-time data about the availability of parking spaces, motorists can get an overview of where to park. Other parking providers will follow Q-Park in offering information about vacant spaces at their parking facilities. In the future, municipalities will also provide data regarding the availability of on-street parking via the website.

Objectives

By making parking data available, the government aims to stimulate parking providers to develop travel information services. Municipalities, parking providers and other stakeholders have indicated that they envisage great advantages in this respect. New services can help drivers to quickly choose where to park, saving time and adding to convenience. An added advantage is reduced nuisance from people looking for a parking space, thereby also reducing environmental impact.

Better utilisation

In the summer of 2013, the Minister for Infrastructure and the Environment announced her intention to make parking data publically available within two years. This has been achieved through the ‘Better Utilisation’ programme, a partnership between government, regions and the private sector. Better Utilisation wants to improve accessibility by rail, road and water by making reliable data easily accessible to information services. From January 2014, all data concerning parking areas and parking tariffs is available as open data from municipal and commercial parking providers.

New platform

The data is now available from the new RDW platform for mobility data: opendata.rdw.nl. Publicly available vehicle data is also available via the platform, such as vehicle registration details. The platform provides developers with several options for viewing, combining or easily utilising the data themselves. For example, the data can be used directly on another website or in a mobile application. Developers receive support via manuals, examples and a forum.

About RDW

RDW is an implementing body of the Dutch government. It is responsible for registering information about vehicles and their owners, and issuing vehicle registration documents and driving licences. Its remit also includes providing information regarding the above to the police, tax authorities and municipalities.

Real-time nation-wide information about vacant parking spaces now available