Russian Tech Helps Crack Down on Illegal Parking

In Novosibirsk, the ParkNet system has cut illegal parking on lawns by 50%, boosting city revenue and changing driver behavior.

Novosibirsk is rolling out advanced digital tools to automatically monitor parking violations. Thanks to the ParkNet service, the number of cars left on grass or other prohibited green areas has been cut in half, while the city budget has gained an additional million rubles from fines.

Previously, residents could only complain about cars blocking playgrounds or damaging lawns, either informally or through lengthy official channels. Now, a single image captured by a ParkNet camera is enough to issue a fine. Mounted on municipal service vehicles, the system scans streets in real time, identifying green zones using cadastral data and recording license plates of offending vehicles.

The goal of the system is not just to issue fines but to change driver behavior. Repeat offenses now incur a penalty of 5,000 rubles, forcing many drivers to think twice.