EFFICIENT PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN ADELAIDE

Recently Nedap’s SENSIT solution was installed in Hindmarsh, Adelaide. By integrating the parking sensors in combination with the camera-based parking enforcement solution of eSMART 21, more efficient parking enforcement is realized in this part of the city. The solution makes a great difference for local traders, who can now find a parking spot easily.

Hindmarsh is an inner suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt. In this suburb, a carpark experienced a lot of nuisance because of the many parking violations. Recently the city received complaints from traders for not having sufficient car parks on Port Road due to overstaying by the tram commuters at the one hour time-limit areas. As the carpark was fully occupied all the time, the traders experienced a lot of frustration finding an available parking space near their destination.

FIVE-MONTH TRIAL

To prevent vehicles from staying over the maximum parking duration limit, eSMART 21’s system was installed for a five-month trial. It uses cameras to capture registration plates and Nedap’s SENSIT to detect the parking duration of each vehicle. During the trial, the number of detected parking violations increased from 16 to 285 with the use of smart parking sensors.

“SMART ePark really helped out the local traders,” says Mayor Kirsten Alexander.

EFFICIENT ENFORCEMENT

Any vehicle staying over the maximum parking duration limit, will be registered. A ticket is then sent out in the mail. Former mayor of Charles Sturt Council, Kirsten Alexander said motorists were given a grace period.

Instead of the former manual system of parking officers patrolling for over stayers, SMART ePark utilises the Nedap SENSIT wireless parking sensors, cameras and purpose-built software in order to monitor parking spaces. The solution ensures drivers are not leaving their vehicles unoccupied for longer than their allotted time. The system now ensures turnaround of parking spaces in this area and minimized drivers that park their vehicles the entire day. 

HIGHER PARKING PROFITS

Within seven weeks of the system trial, parking turnover had increased by 34% in the monitored spaces. Within five months, the system has caught over 412 overstayers and City of Charles Sturt has issued 285 fines after allowing a grace period of 15 minutes. “I think it makes a difference because people know they cannot get away with over staying the time limit,” says Luke Charnstrom, Lady Daly Duty Manager.

"After testing multiple sensor technologies, we soon discovered that the Nedap sensors are characterized by very high accuracy, which is key to our enforcement application as fines should only be issued based on accurate data of parking occupancy detection. In addition, the data can also provide consumers with information on where there are available spaces,” states Jega Balakrishnan, CEO of eSMART 21. The trial proved to be very successful for the council. They are now looking at extending the system for the other parking spaces.