The mega new smart city ground up build initiatives of billionaires like Bill Gates are certainly an ambitious and promising initiative, and there is room for similar initiatives in Australia where a few smart cities could be built from the ground up in regional areas.

But more importantly, and with less dollars needing to be invested, we can be making our existing cities smarter.

What is a smart city?

A smart city uses information gleaned from data that is captured from various sensors and physical devices used by citizens, buildings, and other assets, to effectively manage resources, infrastructure, and services more efficiently.

Information can be used to analyse, plan, and optimise a whole host of civic services, including utilities, waste management, schools, community services, healthcare and of course traffic, transportation and parking management systems.

Parking’s role

A key area of pain for many communities is the increasing traffic and parking congestion in their local areas. A smart city can utilise available technologies to provide real time traffic and parking availability information to motorists. The community benefits are significant including: reduced traffic congestion; reduced CO2 emissions; reduced stress and anxiety with less time spent in traffic bottlenecks leading to an improved motorist experience and thus greater propensity to frequent those areas and facilities in future.

Smartening existing cities

Whilst the idea of building a brand-new city from the ground up is exciting, there are many things Australia’s smart city planners can invest in for existing urban centres that will help the community in the shorter term. Smarter traffic and parking availability information is an easy win and one that addresses an all-too-common pain point for local communities. Here are a few things that should be considered:

• Ownership of data. Data structures, communications protocols and formats are important, but it is far more important to ensure that city planners are partnering with suppliers that are able and prepared to share data. For any initiative under the smart cities umbrella, make certain the resulting data is either owned fully or at least with minimal, if any, constraints on what can be done with it.

• Sensors that are fit for purpose. Sensors or sensor systems are highly important in smart city building initiatives and there are a range of varying technologies available including magnetic resonance, infrared, ultrasonic, laser and camera-based sensors. The key is that they be “fit for purpose”; ideally highly accurate (as accuracy matters), long lasting and using reliable technologies with minimal ongoing maintenance costs. Security, communications capabilities, and size plus frequency of data packets/data payload generated by the sensors should be additional considerations. It is also important to consider how they are ‘controlled’ – what features and control functionality is available and how the Controllers function to consolidate and deliver data to the head end system(s).

• Turning data into actionable information in a timely and automated manner. The volume of data collected – even in a fairly straightforward project – can run into millions of data points each day. This mass of data needs to be aggregated in real time and processed efficiently and automatically into usable information without the need for manual intervention. A core focus should be ensuring data can be converted and automated to deliver timely and actionable information to the community that is using the facility and local areas. Wayfinding signage in congested precincts would be one good example.

The above points are just some of the many considerations that should be taken into account, in the evolution towards smart cities and effective management of them for the benefit of the community and the environment. It’s an exciting area to be involved in and Park Agility takes pride in the role we play in helping our cities to run a bit smarter.

Installing a Parking Guidance System (PGS) in a car park facility is becoming more and more common in a range of settings. Typically used in facilities such as retail centres, airports, university or TAFE campus, theme parks, transport hubs, multi-storey parking facilities, loading docks, and on and off-street parking bays, a PGS offers a range of benefits to both customers and car park owners/managers.

Collecting real time data on vehicle movements through a facility, a PGS contributes to green initiatives by facilitating improved vehicle circulation and flow of traffic, helping to alleviate congestion.

Vehicle throughput and bay occupation data provides analytics for car park management to help optimise their facility by allowing for dynamic demand/supply pricing, the planning of loyalty or permanent parking programs, and insight into when particular parking categories such as short stay, disabled or parents with pram parking see a spike in demand.

There are multiple elements that make up how a parking guidance system works, and these include:

Signage – Dynamic signage reduces the need for costly changes to fixed message signs as and when macro changes to a facility occur. Additionally, they support multiple and more content rich wayfinding messaging and information at entry and key decision points throughout a facility. Signage can come in a range of sizes and with message boards that include imagery and numbers. Longer LED panels can also provide safety and event messaging, which is easily editable via Park Agility’s management system.

Signage is an option at a precinct-wide areas supporting multiple car parks (even when they are not all owned by the same entity) or within individual parking facilities to provide the public with valuable information about parking availability and in the process helping to alleviate congestion on the roads.

Sensors – The sensors within a PGS system are used to detect vehicles moving from one area to another within a facility (eg between levels) as well occupation of an individual car parking bay. At Park Agility, ‘accuracy matters’ and because no two facilities are the same, Park Agility uses a range of sensor technologies to meet diverse environmental requirements, thus ensuring reliable, stable and accurate readings.

Indicator lights above parking bays are used to highlight both the parking category and availability – green lights for general public availability, blue lights to indicate availability of DDA bays and pink lights to register availability of a parents with pram parking bays and other categories. This enables fast and easy information to be delivered to drivers, speeding their time to park; – there is nothing more frustrating than seeing a green light above an already occupied bay.

Management System – the data that is gathered from the sensors is analysed constantly, in real time 24 x 7 to ensure updated wayfinding messaging on the signage throughout the facility. The management system also provides detailed reporting on facility and bay utilisation both in real time and historically, allowing car park managers to more effectively understand utilisation and plan accordingly to optimise their business and asset.

A PGS saves time and increases efficiency, working to reduce congestion and resulting pollutants by providing timely information to support customer and management to make informed decisions. Above all though, a parking guidance system delivers a customer first focus for the end user. Helping to minimise stress by guiding customers to available car parking bays, resulting in a positive customer experience that helps to drive loyalty.

Technology continues to disrupt traditional operations across our whole world. The goal? To enhance the user experience, safety, and lifestyle, and to gather rich data for future decision making. Car parking technology does all of these things.

Cities are more liveable, less congested and safer when car parking technology is used in a wide range of facilities – retail, commercial, residential, healthcare, travel and transportation hubs.

So how does it work?

Parking bay sensors transmit occupation status in real time to a software management system. This changes the colour of the indicator light in the bay and updates the internal wayfinding signage which show the number of available bays . This saves time for drivers, who are guided directly to available parking bays and reduces parking stress.

The same data is transmitted to the car park management team via on-screen status maps and structured reports. It helps asset managers improve efficiency. Parking bays stay empty for less time, and circling is reduced leading to less congestion and pollution. Data reports enable predictions of usage thus allowing optimisation of different parking categories during peak times.

A parking management system can also assist with minimising infringements and parking violations as reporting and alerts can be set to advise of overstays, incorrect bay usage and any misuse of payment systems.

External signage outside a parking asset assists drivers by advising of parking availability prior to entry. Typically, drivers overestimate bay occupation, believing a parking garage to be full when in fact there are parking bays available. This means reduced revenue for asset managers and owners. The win-win solution is providing drivers information about parking availability in advance. Of course, this is dependent on an accurate and reliable system and the technology used is important.

Outdoor parking can also utilise parking management systems by configuring magnetic loop and beam-based sensor technologies. This system will track entry and exit points, transmitting data to way finding signage to alert drivers about availability. It also provides rich data to parking management teams on occupancy. For larger indoor parking facilities this can be a cost-effective way to manage a restricted budget whilst still providing the benefits of a parking management system.

As technologies continue to evolve, so too will the efficiencies and capabilities of parking management systems, enabling cities and parking facilities to better serve the people who live and work in them.

Reach out to discuss how our parking technology can help optimise your assets now and in the future.

Technology has disrupted most industries over the past couple of decades, streamlining and improving service offerings in successive waves. The parking industry is no different, with the current wave of change including customer identification technologies such as Licence Plate Recognition (LPR), mobile phone apps, replacing tickets and RFID cards. We now commonly rely on apps and the web to find, reserve, and pay for parking in an age of on-demand, real time, and touch-free expectation.

As updated access control systems and parking guidance sensors and solutions have been deployed and consumer confidence in using online tools has grown, the amount of data being generated has grown exponentially; allowing insights into usage and behaviours that inform business decisions around availability, pricing, and occupancy expectations.

In short, technology has been helping to make parking more efficient, more customer-friendly, and at the same time, more valuable to the asset owner and associated business(es).

The management and reporting software that accompanies parking technology systems is a huge benefit to operators in terms of their management decision making. Parking guidance has reduced the uncertainty and time taken to find a parking space and improved customer experience and loyalty to the business in the process. When parkers are advised of availability via real-time signage before they even enter a parking facility, they are unlikely to drive elsewhere. Even a gradual improvement to occupancy as a result of a Parking Guidance Solution (PGS) investment can lead to significant additional revenue each year.

The use of parking guidance technology extends beyond just car parks. Any area where space is at a premium and congestion results – such as the loading dock in this example – will benefit from the occupancy information that a PGS can provide, in order to prevent inefficiencies and bottlenecks.

With the uptake of smart cities thinking and planning, utilising the data that parking technology generates can help councils and governments plan future infrastructure based on traffic patterns, behavioural insights, and predictive revenues.

Parking technologies are insightful, adaptable, and agile with an application that will be wide-ranging beyond carparks as we head into the future.

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Parking guidance and precinct signage solutions already tick the box for driving down emissions and reducing traffic congestion in busy areas, simply by making parking faster and easier.

One of our recent projects saw the introduction of solar powered parking guidance signage, upping the ante on green, future-focused technology solutions. Park Agility have worked with Duncan Solutions and Bayside City Council to install ten solar-powered, dynamic wayfinding signs to help guide drivers around a busy shopping and dining precinct to convenient and available parking.

Powered exclusively by solar, the signs have a lower operating cost and are a clean, energy efficient means of providing information on parking availability to the Bayside community. Another advantage is that being solar and 4G enabled, additional signs can be placed almost anywhere, without the need for costly and time-consuming power connections or environmental disturbance.

As the focus on climate intensifies, more and more organisations are looking for environmentally friendly solutions that meet their need to help manage congestion – and parking guidance is an easy win.

For more information or to discuss your needs, contact our team.

Parking is no different, and without technology installed in car parks there is no access to in-depth analytics and reporting that provides insight into customer behaviour and how operations can be improved.

The benefits of parking guidance systems (PGS) to improve customer experience have been repeated often: it shows consideration of a customer’s valuable time by making the parking process efficient; and encourages loyalty, particularly during busy periods as the arrival and departure experience are key to return visits and asset loyalty.

For asset owners, a PGS helps to manage overstays and optimise the parking and pricing mix to maximise revenue. Without the data, there is no opportunity to discover unrealised potential or develop strategies to meet the changing needs of the motorist. And in an increasingly tough economy, considering new alternatives to maximising revenue is vital.

In a COVID world, managing the health and safety of employees as they return to workplaces is critical, and the information a parking guidance system collects and reports on is a useful tool to assist with managing congestion periods at the beginning and end of the working day. Heat maps and the SenseIQ Management system help to identify activity and parking patterns that can be used to optimise safety.

As attention turns more closely to climate and sustainable industries to kick-start economic recovery, smart cities are choosing to use all the tools at their disposal to reduce emissions and congestion – whether it be from one carpark to a whole precinct. A parking guidance system is a good investment in future-proofing parking assets by delivering improved customer experience, solid IoT sensor based data, options for expansion and the ability to upgrade and implement sustainable technology as it evolves.

As Australian cities emerge from lockdown and restrictions slowly ease, it is expected that activity and subsequent economic impacts will start to rebound. Now is the time to take advantage of the technologies that will help entice customers back to your business and create operational efficiencies.

To discuss how to leverage your parking asset to its fullest, future potential contact us today.

The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has advised that public transport was the main reason COVID-19 spread in various metropolitan areas overseas. Yet as lock downs ease, we’re already seeing that people using public transport are breaking physical distancing guidelines.

The easing of lock downs is welcome and necessary economically, and yet creates other tests for our society. Public transport in some of our cities struggled to cope with demand on the best of days pre-pandemic. State Governments now grapple with the challenge of how to get people safely to and from work in the era of physical distancing, where the new rules significantly reduce carrying capacity on public transport. I also suspect many people will re-evaluate the cost of private motor vehicle use, tolls and parking fees when weighing the risks of using public transport; now considered a high-risk activity. Until a vaccine is found, the days of cramming people into public transport needs to be consigned to history.

Taking a car to work is not necessarily an easy choice.

“We are looking at basically ‘carmageddon’, where all the roads are full with the people that were on buses and trains [but are now] in cars,” said University of Technology transport expert Mathew Hounsell in a Sydney Morning Herald article recently.

Despite considerable financial difficulties in recent months, this is the time for parking industry and asset owner groups to step-up. To make better use of available technology to manage congestion, to share space more efficiently and to operate safe, contactless facilities.

The onus is on the government to partner with industry groups to both invest in parking technology solutions and help to make parking more affordable.

Demand for parking will surge in the coming months. Underutilised commercial car parking will soak up some of this demand. Pop-up car parks, temporary bike paths, staggered work hours are part of the plan for various local and state governments to help manage congestion. Some of these measures are likely to be short term and/or limited in scope. Whilst helpful, we should be turning to available technologies and solutions to do more. This is no longer a question of convenience; it is a matter of public health. Technologies exist that can help by:

1. Establishing “contactless” entry and exit to parking facilities with modern Access Control Solutions.

2. Improving the more efficient use of available parking spaces in existing car park facilities with Parking Guidance Solutions (PGS). Note, most drivers think a car park is full even when 10% of spaces are free, unless a PGS is in place.

3. Displaying real-time parking availability data in congested precinct areas with Precinct Signage. Note: past studies have shown that up to 30% of city traffic congestion is caused by drivers looking for parking and a recent City of Geraldton report showed that “there is an incorrect perception of shortage of parking bays with average vacancy at peak demand time being greater than 25%.”

Our Government has shown leadership in a crisis and taken many hard decisions in recent months. Australians too have been remarkable in taking individual responsibility for flattening the curve. Our community response has been a powerful constraint on spread of the virus. Now, despite the immense financial pressures, is the time for the parking industry as a collective to step up, make use of all available measures and technologies in order to help our cities to remain safe as the population returns to work in coming months.

Whether returning to work, enjoying social opportunities in public spaces or heading to the shopping centre, the need for social distancing and restricted crowds remains paramount.

Individual venues all have a part to play, including parking facilities, to help stop the spread of the virus. In addition to straightforward measures such as contactless payment facilities and the provision of hand sanitiser and a high standard of cleanliness, parking guidance and precinct solutions can assist with:

· Dynamic messaging across precinct signage to notify and remind customers of current restrictions and requirements to maintain safety

· Vehicle counting solutions to offer data that can assist with information on approximately how many people are in a building/centre/precinct at any given time

· Occupancy rates can be capped to comply with lock down and distancing measures

· Sensor lights can show bays that are not in use to comply with distancing or hygiene regulations

· Internal signage can continue to guide drivers and provide detours to less congested areas to keep traffic moving and prevent crowded situations from occurring

· As mentioned in a previous blog, taking advantage of under-utilised car parks and precinct areas represents an opportunity to upgrade facilities at a lower cost

The past few months have shown there is no quick or easy solution to the COVID environment, however with a common goal of getting back to work safely and adherence to government guidelines, all businesses can play a role in keeping the community safe and well.

As cities begin to cautiously re-open, we see a renewed focus on local travel and some of our most popular international visitor destinations now look to welcome back domestic trade.

Popular harbour and beachside suburbs, city-based destinations entertainment and shopping districts all have one thing in common: a need for convenient, accessible visitor parking.

Where multiple car park operators compete in similar destination areas, parking availability signage is often confined to outside each asset, forcing motorists to have to know in advance where they’re going and often left hoping there’s an available parking bay when and where they need one.

With Park Agility’s precinct signage solution, whole regions and congested precinct areas can be transformed to provide area-wide, real time information on parking availability in multiple carparks (privately or publicly owned) and/or on street parking with dynamic directional signage placed at key decision points for major traffic flows into the area.

Unrestricted by location due to cloud server access, precinct signage can be updated in real time with dynamic messaging. Parking availability, directional guidance, congestion notifications can all help drivers understand where to go and where to avoid.

Parking availability data can be shared on key access roads leading into a locale, not just outside carparks, to guide drivers conveniently and promptly to available parking. This simple solution contributes enormously to visitor experience, particularly during busy periods, as parking availability is known in advance and directional guidance is provided without the need for drivers to take their eyes off the road.

Congestion eases as cars no longer travel at a crawl speed searching for available bays, or slowly re-orient and re-navigate for alternative parking if their original, known choice was unavailable.

Precinct signage solutions are relatively inexpensive infrastructure investments that can really make a difference for the community and help to get the economy moving again. We know that ease of parking is a key driver when choosing where to shop, eat and visit. Precinct signage takes away the headache of parking in a well-visited destination, creating an enjoyable visitor experience and encouraging return visits, with customers confident in their ability to get where they want to go.

For more information on precinct signage solutions, read about how the Northern Beaches Council and ICC Darling Harbour Precinct incorporated technology to minimise congestion for visitors and residents alike. Or contact us to have a chat about your area’s needs.

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There are currently many hard, financial decisions to make as our cities slow down. Yet for car park owners there’s never been a better time to set yourself up to improve future yield and congestion. Improving your car park asset is also a worthy infrastructure investment for Local and State Governments looking to stimulate the economy, protect Australian jobs and deliver long term community benefit.

Across the country many car parks sit half empty and normally bustling precinct areas are quiet. We don’t know for how long this will last but the community will start to return to normal behaviours eventually.

At Park Agility we choose to remain positive and productive. With this mindset we recognise that under-utilisation of car parks and precinct areas represents an unprecedented opportunity to implement new Parking Guidance Solutions (PGS) and wayfinding signage solutions at a reduced cost.

The reason for this is simple; empty car parks or precinct areas can have PGS and signage installed during normal work hours and much more rapidly. The ability to shut off entire car park levels, without disrupting operations, accelerates installation saving both time and money. Significant labour savings are garnered by avoiding costly night shift work.

It is also worth noting that the last decade has seen solid industry growth in uptake of PGS and Wayfinding Signage Solutions. There are good reasons for this, customers save time and avoid frustration. The public clearly prefers to use facilities and precinct areas that have PGS and Wayfinding Signage solutions because it makes their daily lives easier. For Councils and asset owners, this preference translates to reduced traffic congestion in precinct areas plus increased customer satisfaction, asset usage and revenues. The Park Agility team can help you achieve these outcomes. And now is a strangely ideal time to invest.

The Park Agility team offers decades of car park management expertise, parking technology transformation and the implementation of hundreds of car park infrastructure projects nationally. As we continue to implement projects, our work methods and safety protocols have been carefully adjusted to ensure stringent safety. We are proudly Australian owned and stand behind our PGS which we believe to be the most accurate on the market.

If you’ve been thinking about parking guidance, call us for a chat about your needs on 02 8488 3333 or send us a message.

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