ANPR technology aids barrier-free parking

APT Controls Group CEO Dermot Murphy introduces a new suite of parking solutions and explains the benefits of barrier free parking systems Following its acquisition of Parking Applications in September 2011, the APT Controls group is launching a new barrier-less parking and payment solution called Veri-park. This is based on proven automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology and flexible payment channels. At present the concept of barrier-less parking using ANPR is still a relatively new one, which
May 22, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
New Veri-park kiosks provide car park operators with a variety of payment options and feature a 15” touch screen

APT Controls Group CEO Dermot Murphy introduces a new suite of parking solutions and explains the benefits of barrier free parking systems

Following its acquisition of Parking Applications in September 2011, the 988 APT Controls group is launching a new barrier-less parking and payment solution called Veri-park. This is based on proven automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology and flexible payment channels.

At present the concept of barrier-less parking using ANPR is still a relatively new one, which to date has not been widely utilised by the parking industry. However, Veri-park builds on the success of existing ANPR-based solutions developed by 550 Parking Applications and already proven in the field.

As a result, APT Controls can now offer a wider array of options, tailoring each individual solution depending on variables such as how the end customer is required to use the car park; how the customer is required to pay for parking; and how the operator wishes to manage the car park.

Operators have the freedom to decide which is the most suitable system for them, whether that be in the form of a more familiar pay-on-foot system, such as those supplied by 1774 APT Skidata, or a barrier-less system such as Veri-park that can allow customers to pay either on-site or from home over the internet.

At a basic level, barrier-less parking is by no means a new phenomenon; pay and- display car parks, for example, do not rely upon barriers to control customer usage. However, what the pay-and display approach does demand is costly enforcement, as traffic wardens or parking attendants must regularly patrol the car park to check that customers have paid correctly. Furthermore, the pay-and-display system imposes restrictions on the customer experience.

Conversely, with the Veri-park solution, customers are given a choice of payment options, do not have to pay in advance, only pay for what they have used and can receive change. For on-site payments, a new range of Veri-park payment kiosks provides car park operators with a variety of payment options including cards, notes and coins, with change available. A large 15” touch screen provides users with a clear and easyto- use set of payment instructions, and the Veri-park software is configurable to allow payment on both entry and exit, and topup concurrently. The facility to handle user configurable promotions and validations is available either by manual code entry or automated bar code scanning.

If customers are not able or do not wish to pay on-site, Veri-park allows remote web-based pre- and post-visit payment options allowing customers to pay from anywhere, similar to the London congestion charge. Furthermore, use of ANPR means that it is possible for frequent customers to register online and purchase a parking season ticket or select to have their account debited automatically each time they use the car park. Overall, the process of parking becomes much quicker and simpler for customers and more efficient for operators.
Parking & Access Control Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Growing ITS capability, a way to increase infrastructure capacity
    February 2, 2012
    Iteris's Greg McKhann makes the case for policymakers to look more seriously at the use of ITS as a means of increasing existing infrastructure capacity
    Read More
  • Managed motorways, hard shoulder running aids safety, saves time
    January 30, 2012
    The announcement that, in 2012/13, work to extend Managed Motorways to Junctions 5-8 of the M6 near Birmingham in the West Midlands is scheduled to start marks the next step for the UK's hard shoulder running concept, first introduced on the M42 in 2006. The M6 scheme is in fact one of several announced; over the next few years work will start on applying Managed Motorways to various sections of the M1, M25 London Orbital, M60 and M62. According to Paul Unwin, senior project manager with the Highways Agency
    Read More
  • The smart in smart parking
    March 29, 2018
    Whether you want to reduce congestion, increase parking revenue or reduce occupancy – or a mixture of all three – there is plenty of technology available. Andrew Bardin Williams considers the pros and cons. Drawn in by the promise of Smart City initiatives, communities across North America are embracing smart parking solutions in an effort to change citizens’ transportation behaviours for the better. They are doing this by using policy and ITS solutions to help de-incentivise parking for most people while
    Read More
  • USA’s first smartphone rail ticketing system to be launched
    April 24, 2012
    Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Masabi US, a transit mobile ticketing specialist, have jointly announced that they will be bringing mobile ticketing to MBTA commuter rail riders later this year. With applications for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry, customers will be able to seamlessly purchase commuter rail tickets and passes and, once they are purchased, customers will be able to use and display directly via their phone screen.
    Read More

Highlighted Content