Parking Space Management and Revenue Collection in Masvingo City

Parking management systems are an important tool to control inner-city accessibility and at the same time improve the municipal revenue base. The expansion and regular maintenance of the existing urban parking space requires sustainable funding. The emerging question for most cities in developing countries is how best parking management can positively impact the city’s revenue collection. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore the strategies that can be adopted in the management of city parking space in a bid to improve revenue collection. The research made use of mixed methods design that was dominantly qualitative, to understand the parking management system in Masvingo. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were used for the selection of general respondents and key informants, respectively. Both primary and secondary data was collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and literature review. Content and comparative analyses were used to analyse data. The results of the study showed that well-planned and -implemented parking management allow a substantial improvement in accessibility within and towards the city centre and increase municipal revenue generated from the city’s parking space. The study recommends the establishment and implementation of parking policies that guide the pricing of parking space and how the generated revenue should be used. It is also recommended that Masvingo City Council should improve security in the parking bays by installing street cameras and, where possible, employing security personnel to provide for safer parking environments for motorists. Safety is an important variable that motivates motorists to pay their parking fees and therefore improves municipal revenue collection efficiency.