5 common mistakes in university car park management

In many university towns, parking around campuses is becoming increasingly expensive. With rates ranging from €2 to €4 per hour, parking can cost more than €200 per month for a student who uses their car daily. This is yet another expense that is difficult to absorb on an already tight student budget.

However, the proliferation of paid parking areas around universities is no coincidence. It is largely the result of saturated university car parks. In the absence of suitable solutions, students and staff are forced to look for parking spaces further away, which are more expensive, or to park informally, at the risk of penalties.

However, these tensions are not inevitable. They are often the result of recurring errors in the management of university car parks. Focus on this article!

Mistake 1: Not anticipating the turnover and diversity of users in your university car park.

On a campus, not all users have the same needs. Students attend classes for an hour, teachers are present all day, visitors come and go, etc. If you do not take this diversity into account, your car park will quickly become a source of frustration.

However, many universities make the mistake of reserving the majority of spaces for teachers and staff, or treating all spaces in the same way. The result is that students have little or no access to the car park, even when there are spaces available.

On some campuses, entire blocks remain unoccupied all day because they are reserved for regular staff. Meanwhile, students drive around for minutes looking for an available space, sometimes ending up parking in prohibited areas or paying for off-campus parking.

The problem is not the number of spaces, but the lack of dynamic rotation management. Without this, the car park appears to be full, when in reality there are spaces available but they are blocked by rigid rules.

The solution? Intelligently redistribute spaces according to actual needs:

• Allow students to access vacant spaces left by absent staff.
• Adapt allocation according to daily schedules and rotations.
• Provide real-time information on space availability.

At Eklore Education (formerly ESC Pau Business School), this was exactly the case. Management was rigid: spaces were not allocated by name, but the car park was divided into two separate areas: one reserved for teachers, the other for students. In practice, the student car park was constantly full. Due to a lack of available spaces, some students occupied teachers’ spaces or parked haphazardly, including in front of emergency exits.

But that was before the Sharvy solution was implemented. Discover the customer case study by clicking here.

Mistake 2: Vague rules & insufficient signage.

In many university car parks, parking rules exist… but they are not very clear. Reserved spaces are poorly identified. There are no visitor areas. Regulations are not widely publicised or are too complex. As a result, everyone interprets them in their own way.

In the absence of clear signage, users park « where there is space available » , without always knowing if they are within their rights. Students occupy areas they believe to be accessible. Staff feel their spaces « have been taken unfairly ». Conflicts are on the rise.

This lack of clarity also fuels a sense of injustice. Why are some spaces always empty? Who actually has the right to park here? Without clear answers, the car park becomes a source of tension rather than a service.

However, a simple rule that is clearly signposted and understood by all changes everything. When the rules are clear, people comply. Conversely, a car park without effective signage leads to disorder, wasted time… and avoidable penalties.

Mistake 3: Abandoning access control in favour of total “freedom”.

To simplify students’ lives and avoid the tedious management of badges, some institutions remove barriers and leave the university car park open. But in reality, this creates more problems than it solves.

Some spaces are essential: those reserved for people with reduced mobility, teachers or staff who are present every day, and occasional visitors. Without access control, these spaces are quickly occupied by students on a short-term basis or by outsiders who have no business being there (people from neighbouring buildings, local residents, etc.).

This was the case at Eklore Education before Sharvy arrived. The result?

• • Students arriving late because they are looking for a space.
  • Vehicles parked in prohibited areas or in front of emergency exits.
  • Conflicts between students and teachers over reserved spaces «».

The problem was not a lack of spaces, but a lack of intelligent regulation. Free access makes it impossible to distinguish between those who have permanent rights and those who are only there for 30 minutes.

Modern access control management for your university car park changes the game:

• • PRM spaces are always available for those who need them.
  • Teachers’ spaces are automatically reserved and released if they are absent.
  • Students can reserve or view available spaces in real time, avoiding unnecessary trips and stress.

The benefit? No more frustration, no more conflicts, and a safer, more efficient car park.

The moral of the story: access control is not a constraint, it is a tool for intelligently managing usage, ensuring fairness and securing sensitive areas.

Mistake 4: Not informing users in real time.

On many campuses, students and staff arrive without knowing if spaces are available. There are no signs, no app, and no indication of free spaces. The result:

• • Students drive around for 10 to 20 minutes, stressed and late.
  • Teachers waste time looking for a space near their classrooms.
  • Some end up double-parking or parking in prohibited areas, creating safety risks.

The problem here is not only occupancy, but lack of visibility.

The solution? Make the information readily available:

• • Signs or sensors indicating available spaces by zone.
  • Mobile apps (such as Sharvy) showing availability in real time.
  • Notifications for spaces reserved or freed up during the day.

A smart car park is first and foremost a transparent car park. Informing users reduces stress, minimises abuse and maximises the use of existing spaces.

Mistake 5: Not knowing the true occupancy rate of your university car park.

Many universities assume that their car park is full or empty, without ever having accurate figures. As a result, decisions are made blindly.

• • You expand a car park when some spaces remain unoccupied.
  • You apply strict controls when some lots could be shared.
  • You cannot anticipate peaks in traffic, for example before an exam or during an event.

At Eklore Education, for example, 207 spaces for 1,400 users often seemed insufficient. But by analysing staff absences and student rotations using Sharvy, they discovered that the car park had much more available capacity than it appeared.

Without reliable data: stress, conflict, chaotic management. With accurate data: optimisation, fluidity and user satisfaction.

So, before changing anything, measure and analyse. A

In conclusion

Your university car park is not just a place to park cars. It is a microcosm of the organisation and mobility on your campus.

The real revolution lies not in building new spaces, but in how you use them. Freeing up unoccupied spaces, intelligently distributing access, informing your users in real time and anticipating traffic flows can transform a chaotic car park into a smooth and transparent service that everyone appreciates.

By rethinking the management of your car park, you are not only making everyday life easier for your students and teachers: you are also enhancing the image of your institution and paving the way for sustainable and innovative solutions.

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