As part of its commitment to creating a liveable smart city environment, Cardiff City Council will be using Smart Parking technology, including Europe’s First Citywide Deployment of Bay Sensor Technology.

Delivered by the UK-based technology company Smart Parking, this technology would help in transforming the parking experience through a combination of different technologies that include infrared vehicle detection sensors and Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.

Cardiff Cabinet Member for Planning Transport and Sustainability Councilor Ramesh Patel said: “The City Council’s primary focus is to encourage public transport, cycling and walking and encouraging people to leave their cars at home.

“We do understand that sometimes travelling by car is necessary, either because public transport routes are not available or viable.

"This technology will ensure that people travelling by private car are able to find their car parking space quickly and easily.

“This will have a number of benefits, notably helping in our aim to reduce congestion and improve air quality levels in the city centre.”

"This technology will ensure that people travelling by private car are able to find their car parking space quickly and easily."

The Smart Parking Technology will also make use of variable message signage strategically placed throughout the city, and the SmartApp, which would show the real-time parking availability and guidance smartphone app.

Smart Parking CEO Paul Gillespie said: “The launch of Smart Parking technology in Cardiff highlights the growing importance of smart city technology to not only manage parking but to also equip city operators who perform smart city IoT planning with accurate data and insight in order to radically change the way cities operate.”

By using Smart Parking technology, Cardiff City Council anticipated that it will gain better intelligence on parking activity in its parking facilities.

Image: Road surface in Cardiff. Photo: courtesy of Smart Parking Ltd.