Skip to main content

Flowbird unveils terminal-based emissions surcharging solution

Flowbird Urban Intelligence has launched terminal-based digital technology to enable local authorities to levy variable surcharges on vehicles that exceed set levels of carbon dioxide (CO2). The digital system is loaded onto Flowbird’s solar-powered terminals and is expected to help authorities encourage people to switch to lower carbon vehicles and use public transport in congested areas. Flowbird says the system can generate a separate fee for higher polluting cars at the time of parking via data linke
August 20, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Flowbird Urban Intelligence has launched terminal-based digital technology to enable local authorities to levy variable surcharges on vehicles that exceed set levels of carbon dioxide (CO2).

The digital system is loaded onto Flowbird’s solar-powered terminals and is expected to help authorities encourage people to switch to lower carbon vehicles and use public transport in congested areas.

Flowbird says the system can generate a separate fee for higher polluting cars at the time of parking via data linked to official government figures covering vehicle emissions.

When a driver enters a number plate into the parking terminal, the vehicle details are cross-referenced with the DVLA for fuel type and CO2 levels. This allows any relevant surcharge to be applied and paid for alongside the parking tariff, the company adds.

According to Flowbird, separate parking and emissions charges can be remotely configured across entire parking estates via its cloud-based back office.

Related Content

  • Covid-19 cleared the air: ITS can keep it clean
    July 31, 2020
    Covid-19 has created cleaner air: ITS can help keep it that way – but it’s not going to be straightforward, as Graham Anderson discovers
  • Positive incentives an alternative to road user charging?
    February 1, 2012
    The Netherlands has been looking at incentivising rush-hour avoidance. The intention is to better understand road users' motivations and find alternatives to congestion charging. Something significant needs to happen if we are to adequately address the traffic congestion and other issues caused by the ever-rising numbers of vehicles on our roads. Congestion or distance-based charging is seen as one way of managing demand and raising revenue for improvements to transport infrastructure. However, charging is
  • Carbon finance delivers critical support to mass transit schemes
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford investigates carbon finance in transport. World Bank carbon finance grants are delivering critical support to major mass transit deployments in emerging and developing economies. Only recently operative in the transport sector, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM, see panel) is designed to generate additional income streams and improve internal rates of return on projects funded from public- and private-sector sources.
  • Integrating ferry transport into smart ticketing
    March 1, 2013
    Transport authorities are increasingly looking to integrate ferry travel into the mix of public transport. David Crawford finds out more. The new A$370m (US$398m) Opal public transport smartcard system being installed by the Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS)-led Pearl consortium in Sydney is geographically the largest in the world to date. The consortium includes the Commonwealth Bank of Australia; Australian retail payment system provider ePay; Australian infrastructure engineering company Downer Group; a