The parking solutions company APT SKIDATA has completed its part of a major car parking systems upgrade across all eleven public car parks at Heathrow Airport.
Working with APCOA Parking UK,APT SKIDATA has delivered digital systems, software and hardware upgrades across Heathrow Airport’s entire parking estate. The car parks have been upgraded to run on APT SKIDATA’s vehicle access management system, Parking.Logic, with new features and advanced software applications specifically designed to enhance the customer experience.
Heathrow will also now benefit from SKIDATA’s cloud-based reporting and management system. With access to real time key data and information, including ticket data, payment types, cashflow and occupancy levels, APCOA can monitor and manage the reporting data to take immediate decisions, as well as analyse performance against long-term strategies and objectives to optimise parking across the Heathrow estate.
The system also includes access to SKIDATA’s Emissions Evaluation Service (EES), which provides real time data on the fuel type of every vehicle entering and exiting each car park via ANPR. This can be used to implement initiatives such as creating ‘Green’ tariffs to reward drivers of electric or hybrid vehicles, identify high emission ‘pockets’, and plan for required levels of charging infrastructure based on electric vehicle usage data.
Paul Connolly, Director of Airport Services at APCOA Parking UK, says this data and access to accurate, real time reporting will be a significant aid to the planning of its future roadmap, “Heathrow is committed to a sustainable future for aviation, and we have already worked with them to reduce harmful CO2 emissions through the electrification of its shuttle bus fleet.
“With access to real time, accurate data on the number of petrol, diesel, hybrid and fully electric vehicles using the car parks, APT SKIDATA’s smart reporting and management software will enable us to analyse and better manage emissions across the estate, and in turn helping Heathrow to achieve its green objectives.”
As well as providing digital services and software enhancements, APT SKIDATA has also provided a number of hardware upgrades. Existing SKIDATA payment stations have been replaced with its Skiosk payment terminals. Equipped with an interactive 21.5-inch touchscreen display, the company says Skiosk’s intuitive designs makes them extremely easy to use, with multiple payment options.
Additionally, the 114 controlled entry and exit lanes across the Heathrow estate have all been upgraded to SKIDATA’s Power.Gate control columns, which support a vast range of technologies including RFID cards, ANPR and contactless payment at exit via Apple or Google Pay.
Steve Murphy, APT SKIDATA Managing Director, says the company’s focus on continued innovation has led to its long-term working partnership with APCOA and Heathrow adding, “Our technology has been used at Heathrow for more than 15 years and we continue to innovate new solutions, and provide new digital and data-driven services to maintain their confidence and meet growing demand.”
(Picture – APT SKIDATA)
