Source: PARKEN AKTUELL; ISSUE 2/2024
Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Siegburg mbH (SEG) is one of the first car park operators to fully embrace the concept of ‘the parking of the future is digital, cashless and FreeFlow’.
We spoke to Lars van Doorn, project manager for barrier-less parking.
S&B PS: SEG has completely converted its car parks to barrier-less and ticketless parking. What was the intention behind the project?
Lars van Doorn: We want to offer our customers a relaxed and convenient parking experience. We had often noticed that the entry and exit process in the car park caused problems, such as how do I get my parking ticket if my arm is too short? We want to support a smooth flow of traffic. Networking our car parks was also important to us. The systems come together in our permanently manned control centre. This means we can offer our customers a contact person around the clock. We can easily activate authorisations for additional parking garages for long-term parkers. We were also one of the first local authorities to switch to a completely cashless payment system. As well as saving the costs associated with paper tickets, cash handling is now a thing of the past.
S&B PS: How has the new system been received by motorists?
Lars van Doorn: As with any new system, there was a learning process. Customers were very quickly enthusiastic about the new convenience of no longer having to take a parking ticket. Traffic jams at the entrances and exits have reduced considerably. No longer having to issue a parking ticket also means that it can no longer be lost. Our customers should therefore only know their licence plate number.
S&B PS: So licence plate recognition for ticketless parking is accepted by your customers?
Lars van Doorn: Yes, exactly. The licence plate is the new parking ticket. When entering the car park, it is captured by the camera. At the same time, the licence plate number is displayed on the large welcome monitors. For us, this is where communication with customers begins. To pay for the parking time, the licence plate number is then entered at the pay machine and cashless payment can be made - with debit or credit cards as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. At the exit, the camera recognises the number plate again and the parking process is completed. The payment status is shown on the customer display at the exit. We also offer the option of paying for the parking time up to 48 hours after leaving the car park.
S&B PS: In addition to paying at the pay station, you also offer other payment services.
Lars van Doorn: If you don't want to queue at a pay station, you can pay for your parking time using your smartphone or computer. You can pay online via a link on our website parken-siegburg.de using entervo smart web pay. This integration means that a separate payment app is no longer necessary. Registered users of the mobility providers EasyPark and Mercedes.me are offered even more convenience. Thanks to licence plate recognition, the parking process, including payment, is fully automated.
S&B PS: Do your customers have any questions about the recording and storage of licence plate numbers, i.e. about data protection?
Lars van Doorn: The cameras are set so that only the licence plate number is recorded. No pictures of people are taken and the parking process is anonymous. The licence plate data is deleted after payment and exit in accordance with the posted privacy policy.
S&B PS: Your short-term parkers enter and exit without a ticket and pay 100% cashless. How can interested parties rent a long-term parking space?
Lars van Doorn: Here too, Scheidt & Bachmann Parking Solutions has provided us with an attractive web shop. It is easy to conclude a rental contract via our website. The customer selects the car park and the available tariff and can manage their own customer data, such as contact details, car registration number and payment information, in their personal customer account. Here too, the licence plate number is the ‘long-term parking card’. Up to 3 licence plates can be stored. For us as the operator, this eliminates the administrative work and the dispatch of the access medium. This saves us time and money.
S&B PS: That all sounds like a success story.
Lars van Doorn: We are very satisfied with the overall package for digital car parking. We offer our customers an attractive parking experience. And by offering ticketless parking, we are making a contribution to sustainability and environmental protection. We save up to 50,000 paper tickets per month.
