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Winter 2023 | #377
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PATHFINDERS Living Streets calls for action on obstructive pavement parking PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
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January 2023 | #367
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February 2023 | #368
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March 2023 | #369
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April 2023 | #370
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HANDS FREE EXHAUSTING Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty calls for action on air pollution
Cycling legend Sarah Storey champions School Streets and bike parking
PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
May 2023 | #371
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HOW GREEN IS YOUR CAR PARK?
STOR ST ORE E Y T IME ServCity robotaxi takes to the streets of London
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June 2023 | #372
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Parking spaces are being converted into gardens and orchards
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July 2023 | #373
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PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
August 2023 | #374
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P UT UTTING TING P PA A RKING IN T HE FRA FRAME ME The British Parking Awards 2023 are live!
PAVEMENTS, PLATFORMS AND PRIVATE LAND
G R EEN W HEEL HEE L S
Transport minister Richard Holden sets out the government’s parking agenda PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
September 2023 | #375
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An oasis for electric cars in Manchester PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
Awards Special | #376
PARKING PA RKING SUPERSTA SUPERSTAR R
Is offering discounts to drivers who pay by phone discriminatory?
Vass Constantinides named Rising Star at the British Parking Awards 2023
PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
BPA president Stuart Harrison sets out vision for the parking sector
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PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
Winter 2023 | #377
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PAY & DIS DISM M AY
LOOKING FORWARD
T he Winne innerrs
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PATHFINDERS Living Streets calls for action on obstructive pavement parking PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E
Parking reviewed We had the world of traffic and parking covered throughout 2023. The Parking Review team looks forward to keeping you up-to-date with all the latest news and views throughout 2024.
www.parkingreview.co.uk
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WELCOME WINTER 2023 | #377
Maybe the time has come to conduct practical tests into how vehicles burn in car parks
BEDFORDSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
Shining a light on car fire fires
The London Luton Airport fire
The way fire behaves in car parks needs to be better understood
A
fire destroyed Luton Airport Terminal Car Park 2 on 10 October. The blaze was so intense that it caused a significant structural collapse and the building will now be demolished. An investigation into the cause of the fire and why it resulted in the loss of the structure is now underway. Fires in car parks are rare, but when they occur on a large scale they do have the potential to be very costly. The insurance bill for the London Luton Airport car park and hundreds of fire damaged vehicles will run into the millions. Fire in car parks is a theme being addressed in a number of forums, reports and publications. For example, the British Parking Association launched a working group in the wake of devastating inferno which engulfed the King’s Dock multi-storey car park in Liverpool on 31 December 2017. In the past year the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) published Car Park Design, which offers useful advice on preventing and detecting fire, and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) released interim guidance on the fire risks associated with electric vehicles and EV chargepoints in covered car parks. However, surely the time has come to conduct a series of full-size practical tests to better understand the way in which modern cars, both fossil-fuelled and electric, burn within contemporary car park structures. Mark Moran Editor
Parking Review online: www.parkingreview.co.uk
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COVER IMAGE: LIVING STREETS REPRESENTATIVES AT 10 DOWNING STREET WITH PAVEMENT PARKING ‘ANNIVERSARY CARD’
CDER Tall Ad 58x272.indd 1
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CONTENTS
Transport for Wales station plans
15 16 24 28 30 34 40 45
Reshaping a European community The European Parking Association gathered in Brussels to agree a new structure that helps it prepare for the future
Paving the way ahead The King’s Speech set out a route to legalising autonomous cars and introducing digital Traffic Regulation Orders
Setting new directions Greenwich transport leader Averil Lekau talks about charting a path that encompasses climate resilience and better streets
It’s penalty time Over 7.5 million parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalties have been issued in the capital, says London Councils
PCNs in London
Inferno at the airport An intense blaze engulfed a multi-storey car park at London Luton Airport, leading to the destruction of hundreds of cars
Parkways and walkways Rhodri Clark looks at plans for a series of railway stations which will be created by Transport for Wales
Luton Airport fire
The evolution of parking The latest policy, funding and technology developments in the world of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
Farewell Frank It was always going to be a brilliant event when you saw him walking through the door... we remember Frank Kingaby
Editorial Managing editor: Mark Moran Tel: 020 7091 7871 mark.moran@landor.co.uk Deputy editor: Deniz Huseyin Tel: 020 7091 7872 deniz.huseyin@landor.co.uk Editorial director: Peter Stonham
Averil Lekau
Production and design production@landor.co.uk Advertising, sponsorship, marketing and exhibition packages Jason Conboy Tel: 020 7091 7895 jason@landor.co.uk
Subscriptions Christina Pierre Tel: 020 7091 7959 subs@landor.co.uk Accounts Irina Cocks Tel: 020 7091 7854 irina.cocks@landor.co.uk Managing Director Rod Fletcher Tel: 0191 280 1410
Parking Review was launched in 1989 and is published twelve times a year. It is the only independent magazine dedicated to the UK parking sector.
Frank Kingaby
Published by: Landor LINKS Ltd, Apollo House, 359 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY © Landor LINKS Ltd 2023
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PAVEMENT PARKING
Living Streets representatives at 10 Downing Street with pavement parking ‘anniversary card’. (L-R) Bolaji Ogunsola (Living Streets Dagenham Over 65s Local Group), Stephen Edwards (chief executive, Living Streets), Dr Amit Patel (disability campaigner and Living Streets’ trustee), Patricia Edeam (Living Streets’ project coordinator), Catherine Edeam and Susie Morrow (Living Streets Wandsworth Local Group)
Pavements are for people Living Streets calls at Downing Street to mark third anniversary of government’s consultation on pavement parking
W
alking and disability campaigners have renewed their call for action to curb parking on pavements in England, drawing attention to the lack of action by the UK government despite extensive discussions and a public consultation. It has been three years since the Department for Transport’s consultation into pavement parking in England closed but no change in law or guidance has occurred. The law regarding parking on pavements varies across the UK. Parking on the pavement is illegal in London, unless there is a signed dispensation. Elsewhere it is covered by criminal and civil law, with different rules in different parts of the country and vastly different experiences of enforcement. There is no blanket prohibition in the rest of the UK, but the police can take action if a driver is causing an obstruction. “It’s time for action on pavement parking,” the government was told in an ‘anniversary card’ signed by over 6,300 people was delivered to 10 Downing Street on 22 November by representatives from Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking. Living Streets was among the many organisations and individuals who responded to the Department for Transport’s Managing Pavement Parking consultation in 2020, calling for clear laws and sharing evidence from their supporters about the issues pavement parking causes. Since then, 1,095 days have passed with no progress. In contrast in Scotland, a nationwide ban is being rolled from 11 December. Stephen Edwards, chief executive, Living Streets said: “Pavement
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parking affects us all. It makes streets inaccessible for older and disabled people and forces families with pushchairs into the road. The consultation was a welcome step, but three years is too long for a response. We need to know now how the government intends to tackle pavement parking across England. “Clear pavements need clear laws. We need a nationwide default ban, with the option to allow pavement parking in certain circumstances, as is currently available in London. This would be much easier for everyone to understand.” Dr Amit Patel, a disability rights campaigner and trustee of Living Streets, was among those who called at 10 Downing Street. Dr Patel is registered severely sight impaired (blind) having lost his sight overnight in 2013. He said: “Pavement parking makes navigating the streets even harder for someone like me who is visually impaired. “I love walking my children to school but the journey can quickly become unsafe when someone blocks our path, forcing me into the road and into oncoming traffic. It’s dangerous, it’s scary and it needs to stop.” Research by YouGov for Living Streets reveals that a quarter of over-65s are prevented from leaving their home because of obstructed pavements, equating to nearly 3 million people and some 87% of parents report they have been forced into the road because of vehicles blocking pavements. Only 5% of drivers are aware of all aspects of the current law on pavement parking, which differs between London and the rest of Great Britain, revealed a YouGov poll for the charity Guide Dogs, which is also calling for a ban on pavement parking. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Everyone should be able to navigate their streets without obstacle and we’ll continue to work with local authorities and charities to keep pavements clear wherever possible. In 2020, we launched a consultation to explore options for tackling pavement parking and better equip councils to take action, and we’ll publish the response as soon as possible.”
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PAVEMENT PARKING
Why are we still waiting? Sustrans’ Tim Burns calls for action by government
This year mark’s the third anniversary of the government’s consultation on pavement parking closing. Over 15,000 people took the time to respond to this consultation, demonstrating the public’s concern.
Give the people what they want Surveys and polls repeatedly show overwhelming support for prohibiting pavement parking across the UK which would still allow exemptions on a necessary basis, for example, emergency vehicle access. Sustrans’ Walking and Cycling Index showed that 65% of residents supported the prohibition of pavement parking (while only 16% oppose it). Some 68% of residents believe fewer vehicles parked on the pavement would help them walk or wheel more. (Sustrans Walking and Cycling Index 2023. Figures are based on an independent and representative survey of 1,100 residents in 18 cities and city regions across the UK with a total sample size of over 20,000 people conducted by NatCen.) Support rises even higher from disabled people (73%) as revealed by Sustrans’ Disabled Citizens Inquiry. The inquiry also revealed that over two-fifths of disabled people often experience problems reaching their destination. The issue of pavement parking is important for everyone. A recent Daily Express poll of over 4,000 readers, found 78% would like to see a ban on pavement parking.
Pavement parking is particularly challenging for people with mobility, neurological or visual impairments
I
t is now three years since the Department for Transport’s consultation on banning pavement parking closed. The 15,000 people who responded are still waiting for a response. Sustrans believe the need for a ban on pavement parking to improve safety for everyone is still critical. To make walking and wheeling a natural choice for journeys, it is critical that everyone feels safe and confident in their neighbourhoods. However, cars parked on the pavement are a common occurrence across the country. In many places it is seen as more socially acceptable to park on the pavement and block people walking and wheeling, than to park in the road and potentially slowing traffic.
Stop the danger Parking vehicles on the pavement is not just inconvenient – it creates a hazard for people walking and wheeling. Parking on the pavement puts people at a greater risk of collision and injury by forcing them into the road. Pavement parking is particularly challenging for many disabled people, especially people with mobility, neurological or visual impairments, as well as children walking and in buggies. The Highway Code is clear – vehicles should not park on the pavement but, outside of London, it is still legal. Councils have limited practical powers to stop this.
The price is right Scotland and Wales are taking positive action to clamp down on pavement parking, with Scotland introducing a nationwide prohibition from December. England lags behind and needs to catch up, for the benefit of everyone. Prohibiting pavement parking is also relatively cheaper to implement than the costly maintenance and replacement of damaged paving, caused by pavement parking. The charity Living Streets found trips and falls could be costing English taxpayers as much as half a billion pounds a year, while costing local authorities and the NHS millions more from personal injury claims and medical treatment.
Time to act We welcomed the consultation three years ago on pavement parking from the government and the positive messages we have seen since. Of course, it’s been a challenging few years, but now is the time for government to respond and to take action to improve the situation. Sustrans will continue to call for action on pavement parking on behalf of people across the UK and we stand ready to work with the government and our close partners to take positive action together. Tim Burns is head of policy at Sustrans
Edinburgh to be first Scottish city to ban pavement parking City council officers are assessing over of 5,000 roads ahead of launch of enforcement Edinburgh will become first city in Scotland to completely ban cars from parking on the pavement. Double parking and parking at dropped kerbs will also be banned, although there will be an exemption for delivery drivers. Preparations are currently underway to begin enforcement against pavement parking in Edinburgh, following the introduction of new powers by the Scottish Government. A report to the Transport and Environment Committee has set out a proposed approach and timescales for enforcing against pavement parking as part of new parking prohibitions being introduced. National regulations are expected to come into force in December and it is proposed that Edinburgh’s enforcement
begins in January 2024. Drivers who mount the kerb face a £100 fine. Parking on pavements, at dropped kerbs and double parking can inconvenience all road users, significantly impacting people with mobility issues, parents with pushchairs and older people. Cllr Scott Arthur, Edinburgh’s transport and environment convener, said: “Implementing these new parking restrictions is part of our commitment to ensure Edinburgh’s roads and pavements are accessible for all. “Making sure our footways are kept clear will deliver real benefits for pedestrians and road users, particularly those who are disproportionately affected such as parents with pushchairs, older people and wheelchair users. We would expect everyone to adhere to the new prohibitions when the final regulations come into force to guarantee our streets are safer and more user-friendly.” Preparations include the assessment of 5,217 roads by officers as part of the
footway parking assessment project. This has helped to identify a small number of streets where significant pavement parking may require mitigation measures to minimise potential negative impacts on the wider road network. Despite the prohibitions featuring in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, the necessary regulations required to support the enforcement and appeals procedures have only recently been finalised by Transport Scotland and are set to come into effect on 11 December. Work to complete the necessary changes in Edinburgh will commence as soon as it is confirmed that the new regulations have come into force. An awareness campaign, currently being designed by Transport Scotland, is hoped to drive a change in behaviour over the festive period in advance of enforcement beginning. A further Council-run campaign aligned with the national approach is intended once the new prohibitions take effect.
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NEWS
Interested in the National Parking Platform? The Transport Technology Forum (TTF) is offering expertise and advice to local authorities with an interest in joining the National Parking Platform (NPP), an initiative that aims to simplify how motorists pay for parking across the country. The TTF exists to give leadership, direction and support and to stimulate investment in innovation and technology solutions. It receives funding from the Department for Transport and Innovate UK to help achieve change and technological innovation with collaborating organisations. The NPP is an initiative funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and open to public and private parking operators and service providers. The NPP will allow drivers to locate suitable parking for their journey, check tariff and availability, and make a payment using their preferred method of payment including parking apps, card, or cash, as well as modifying that journey as conditions change to enable use of alternative parking. The NPP builds on the work of the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS), a set of standards for parking that aims to streamline the parking experience and help free up much needed space, easing congested cities, and boost high streets. In launching the government’s Plan for Drivers, transport secretary Mark Harper confirmed the nationwide roll-out of the NPP pilot, which will enable drivers to use the app of their choice to pay for parking, instead of having to download multiple apps to use in different car parks. There will be no standalone NPP app.
BRITISH PARKING ASSOCIATION
Transport Technology Forum will support local authorities seeking to join new parking scheme
The NPP will enable drivers to select the way they want to pay for parking Instead, the NPP provides the data exchange to enable multi-seller payments, as well as a way of sharing parking information, standardising commercial relationships, and above all improving the service to users. The TTF Smarter Parking Working Group, which is led by Graham Hanson, head of smarter traffic Management at DfT, and chaired by Sarah Randall, director for local government and propositions Agena Group. The group is managed by the British Parking Association (BPA). Randall said: “The TTF’s Parking Working Group has drawn together experts in parking and technology to support the DfT by explaining what the NPP does, how it works and how it simplifies the process for both local government and drivers. It delivers a seamless parking payment experience meaning you don’t have to use whichever parking provider has a contract in a local area, instead you use whichever app you prefer.
Taskforce calls for digital traffic orders Open letter says digitising kerb will support National Parking Platform The Kerbside Taskforce and its allies have written to Transport Secretary Mark Harper appealing for the inclusion of digital road traffic regulation orders in the Transport Bill and outlining the benefits of adopting the technology. An open letter sent to Harper in October argues digitising the kerb will support National Parking Platform and rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure. The Kerbside Taskforce was assembled by TRL in 2022 to seek ways to optimise the management of kerbside space across the UK and make roads safer. It seeks to articulate the problems faced by road users, by network managers and by the councils who could use pavements to generate new revenue. Its members include organisations such as the AA, CILT UK, Disabled Motoring UK, RAC Foundation, Transport for the West Midlands and
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University College London, service providers like Believ, Connected Kerb and Infinium Logistics, as well as technologists such as AppyWay and Grid Smarter Cities. Richard Cuerden, director, TRL Academy, signed the letter, which stated: “The Future Transport Bill holds great promise in addressing the evolving needs of our transportation systems, and it presents a unique opportunity to take substantial steps towards a more sustainable and efficient road network. One crucial aspect that I would like to emphasise for inclusion in this bill is the adoption of digital traffic orders (DTROs) to optimise and decarbonise our road network. “DTROs are a powerful tool that can revolutionise the way local authorities manage and regulate traffic flow at a fraction of today’s cost. By transitioning to digital platforms, we can streamline the process of creating and updating traffic regulations, reduce paperwork, improve
“The TTF can help authorities with understanding procurement, provide support around the messaging to drivers, and the reasons and process behind the NPP.” At a recent TTF webinar, four-fifths of local authorities who responded said they were interested in joining the NPP. “We urge all local authorities and parking payment providers not yet joined up to get together and embrace the NPP,” added Randall. “I see the NPP as changing in a similar way to when cash machines allowed customers of any bank to use any machine, which wasn’t always the case. Although local authorities don’t have to get involved in the NPP, if they don’t they will miss out on simplifying parking for their residents and visitors, reducing their costs because they won’t have to go reprocure parking services every three-to-five years, which means easier administration for themselves.” https://ttf.uk.net/ accessibility for citizens, and ultimately make our roads safer and more efficient in line with your plan for smoother journeys. “DTROs inextricably complement the DfT’s National Parking Platform and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) LEVI initiatives resulting in faster adoption with better ROI for the taxpayer. Unifying DTROs, payments and charging will enable better-connected vehicles, fast-forwarding the switch to carbon-zero fleets. “Looking further ahead, DTROs will be crucial to the functionality of autonomous vehicles (AVs). DTROs and digital kerbside data have so far been neglected by other nations in their quest to get AVs into operation. This neglect should be our opportunity. “The development of DTROs would put the UK five to 10 years ahead, putting the UK at the forefront of autonomous vehicle (AV) innovation, and cementing our position as the premier destination to deliver societal and economic benefits. Creating new highly skilled jobs, and exporting new mobility solutions.”
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NEWS
11 million PCNs issued on private land Drivers have received more than 11 million parking tickets on private land in the last financial year, analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data indicates. The DVLA said that it had sold 11,052,986 vehicle keeper records to car park management companies in 2022-23. This is 29% higher than the 8,567,204 number in the previous year. This is an average of more than 30,400 every day. The analysis of DVLA data by the PA news agency and the RAC Foundation did not include data on car parks run by local councils across the UK. The vehicle keeper records are used to send out parking charge notices (PCNs) to drivers and vehicle owners for supposed infringements of parking regulations on private land. The DVLA figures show the number of records obtained from
RAC FOUNDATION
Figure is 29% higher than the previous year, says RAC Foundation
the agency by companies chasing car owners for alleged infringements in private car parks such as at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service areas. The DVLA charges private companies £2.50 per record. Some 183 parking management businesses requested vehicle owner records in the year to the end of March. ParkingEye was the most active, buying 2.1 million records. The number of PCNs issued on private land being issued has been rising since 2012 when
wheel clamping on private land was all but outlawed. There is widespread political and public concern about the way some companies in the parking industry operate and in March 2019 the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill became law with the intention of creating a single code of practice, underwritten by ministers, for parking firms to abide by. Alongside the code a single appeals service and a scrutiny board are due to be introduced. The new code of practice was initially due to come into force
across Britain by the end of 2023. When unveiled, the draft stated that the cap on tickets for some parking offences should be halved to £50. However, the draft code was withdrawn after a legal challenge by parking firms and a new call for evidence on the level of parking charges and debt recovery fees was subsequently issued. RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “In the fourand-a-half years since legislation was passed to create a single code of practice and address the worst excesses of private parking companies, as many as 36 million private parking charges may have been issued. “The ballooning rate at which the volume of vehicle keeper requests continues to grow is a clear sign that something is seriously awry, creating distress for drivers and hassle for legitimate parking managers alike. “While some drivers will choose to flout the rules and risk being penalised, the vast majority are simply trying to do the right thing.”
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NEWS
Park Access accreditation launched A new accreditation for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities has been launched by British Parking Association (BPA) and Disabled Motoring UK. Park Access is designed to enable everyone, regardless of their accessibility needs, to identify car parks and facilities, such as electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, that they can use with ease. Park Access brings together two existing accreditations, the Disabled Parking Accreditation and People’s Parking Award. Park Access EV includes requirements and recommendations for accessible EV charging informed by the new British Standard Institution accessibility standard, PAS 1899. A Park Access Handbook has been produced to provide parking operators with guidance and clarity, simplifying the process to ensure that their car parks and EV chargepoints are accessible to everyone. Park Access is jointly owned
BRITISH PARKING ASSOCIATION
New standard covers both inclusive parking and EV chargepoints
by the BPA and Disabled Motoring UK and will be managed and administered by the BPA. Sara Fisher, BPA head of operations and business development, said: “The parking sector is constantly evolving with the exciting growth in popularity of electric vehicles and the drive to net zero. The BPA is leading the electric vehicle parking revolution and recognises there is also a need to ensure that car parks and EV chargepoints are accessible to everyone. Park Access is a brandnew benchmark for accessible parking and charging. “We want all motorists, what-
ever their abilities, to plan their journey, parking, and EV charging with confidence. That’s why we have included Park Access sites alongside Safer Parking sites on our Park Mark car park finder and on other major parking apps.” The BPA is a not-for-profit membership association representing the UK’s parking and mobility sector. It represents over 750 corporate members including
Oxford park & ride bus travel deal extended A deal which offers discounted parking and bus travel at Oxford’s park & rides has been extended to April 2024. Last October, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach launched a new combined ticket for Oxford’s park & rides which covers both parking and return bus travel to the city centre. To coincide with the launch of the new combined ticket, the councils have been offering the ticket at a reduced price of £4 for a car with only one adult, or £5 for a car and two adults. With both options, the car can be parked for up to 16 hours, and up to three children under 16 can travel for free. Previously tickets only lasted for 11 hours, which made it difficult for people working long shifts to use them. The deal represents a saving of 80p per person for an individual ticket, and £2.60 for two people travelling together. Previously, users had to pay separately for both parking and
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bus travel. A single traveller previously paid £4.80 for 11 hours parking and return bus ticket, and two travellers with one car previously paid £7.60. Oxford has five park & ride car parks around the edge of the city, three are run by the city council and two by the county council. Now, Oxford City Council’s cabinet has approved a decision to extend the trial price for a further six months until April 2024. Oxfordshire County Council had already agreed that the current arrangement could remain in place for the rest of the 2023/24 financial year. Cllr Andrew Gant,
Oxfordshire cabinet member for highway management, said: “This deal has proved to be extremely popular and we are delighted that it is being extended again. It will continue to make it cheaper and more convenient for many people to use the park & ride services instead of driving all the way into Oxford city centre. More people on the buses means fewer cars on the road, less congestion and less pollution.” Both councils will make decisions as part of their annual budget-setting processes on the pricing of the combined ticket from April 2024, taking into consideration national and local trends within the industry. Drivers are encouraged to purchase a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the on-site ticket machines. RingGo users can buy a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app in advance of their arrival.
local government, commercial providers, parking system operators, consultants, and academics. In addition, the association has a separate membership structure for over 650 individuals and a range of benefits to support their professional development.. The BPA has assessed and awarded parking facilities with its accreditations for 20 years. These include the Park Mark award, presented as part of the Safer Parking Scheme owned by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI), as well as the Park Mark Plus and Park Mark Freight awards. Disabled Motoring UK is a national membership charity fighting to improve personal mobility and access for all people with disabilities including drivers, passengers, Blue Badge holders, scooter, and wheelchair users. The charity represents disabled motorists across the whole of the United Kingdom and campaigns nationally on their behalf, acting as a platform to voice their concerns. It also works closely with other organisations to improve personal mobility and access to goods and services for people with disabilities.
DfT ministerial team revamped Transport secretary Mark Harper has seen a dramatic change in the composition of his ministerial team, with three of his ministers being changed in prime minister Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle on 13 November. The ministers leaving the Department for Transport are Richard Holden, who has become Conservative Party chairman, Jesse Norman, who has decided to leave government, and Baroness Vere, who was appointed parliamentary secretary at the Treasury. Anthony Browne has taken over responsibility for cycling and walking from Jesse Norman. Guy Opperman was appointed minister for roads and local transport, taking over from Richard Holden. Lord Davies of Gower has been appointed a junior minister at the Department for Transport, replacing Baroness Vere in the House of Lords. Huw Merriman remains minister of state for rail and HS2.
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NEWS
Edinburgh explores workplace parking levy Business parking fees would fund better public transport The City of Edinburgh Council is engaging with the public and stakeholders on the idea of using a workplace parking levy (WPL) to fund better transport services. Responses to an online survey launched will help inform next steps for a potential WPL in Edinburgh. The 12-week survey forms part of a period of engagement in the Scottish capital and will run alongside workshops with stakeholders and key interest groups. A WPL aims to discourage the provision of free parking and car commuting, instead encouraging alternative modes of transport by imposing a charge on employers relating to the number of workplace parking places. These charges can be passed to employees. Councils have limited options to raise additional income to support the delivery of their investment plans and it is esti-
Edinburgh has launched online surveys for the public and businesses mated that a WPL in Edinburgh could raise over £11m per year which, by law, would be reinvested in transport improvements. However, a workplace parking levy could result in negative impacts such parking being transferred to adjacent streets. Some years ago councillors in Edinburgh committed to exploring the option of introducing a WPL in the City Mobility Plan 2021–2030 and
earlier this year a majority of members on the Transport and Environment Committee voted to proceed with engagement to establish views, issues and opportunities relating to a WPL. Findings from the engagement will be reported to committee in March and, if members agree to progress the scheme, further more specific proposals will be developed. These would include the boundary within which the
Reading transforms parking services Conduent Transportation and Zatpark become service providers Digital parking permits are set to replace the traditional physical copies currently displayed in vehicle windscreens in Reading, when the borough council plans phase in the digital permits over the next 12 months. Reading Borough Council hopes the new digital permits will help to reduce errors, such as permits being incorrectly displayed and cars parking in different zones. The modernisation to the permit scheme was agreed by the council following a trial in Lower Caversham between November 2022 and April this year. Cllr John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “The user-friendly online system should make applying for, and renewing, parking permits easier and reduce waiting times for paper permits to be processed and dispatched. The existing physical residents’ parking permits will remain valid until their expiry date and those who do not have access to the internet will still be able to use the existing system and display physical permits.” The new permit scheme forms part of a major overhaul of parking in the Berkshire town. Reading introduced civil parking enforcement in 2000, when responsibility for enforcement of parking contraventions passed from Thames Valley Police to the
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Parking in Reading local authority. Reading has managed its off-street car parks since October 2018. The council’s previous parking enforcement contractor was NSL, which had been in place since 2014. Reading Borough Council has now appointed Conduent Transportation to provide parking enforcement services. The contractor will supply civil enforcement officers (CEOs) to patrol both streets and car parks. It will also manage both onstreet and off-street pay & display machines. Conduent’s contract, initially for a fouryear term, begins in November. Conduent will retain the existing CEO team and, with natural attrition, will focus on hiring fulltime employees from the local area, 12 of which being long-term unemployed. “We are committed to creating the best value and good quality services for our residents,” said Cllr John Ennit. “This contract will carry out an essential service
levy could apply, the value of the levy charged and how revenue raised would be invested . Cllr Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener said: “This is first time we’ve asked people for their views on a WPL, and I would encourage anyone with an interest to take part. I would urge residents to study the proposals carefully, assess the benefits, and consider whether any negative impacts have been defined sufficiently. “Once the engagement is complete, I will ensure the public response is considered in an open and transparent manner.” The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 gave councils in Scotland the power to introduce a WPL in their local area. National exemptions include parking places reserved for Blue Badge holders, for healthcare workers at NHS premises and at hospices. Local authorities can exempt additional groups or premises if they choose to. Transport Scotland has published guidance on what the scheme involves online.
to make our streets safe, free-flowing and make parking convenient for the residents who live here, which are fantastic benefits. The commitment to employ local people and those who are long-term unemployed makes this contract beneficial for so many people in Reading.” Adam Appleby, president, transportation solutions at Conduent, said: “This new contract marks an expansion of Conduent’s parking enforcement services in the UK. Our solution embraces the use of our people, technology and data analytics to provide an efficient and effective service to Reading Borough Council as it seeks to continuously improve the quality of service it delivers to all stakeholders.” In parallel, Reading has awarded its parking management software contract to Unity5 following a competitive tender process earlier this year. With the Zatpark platform, Reading now has a suite of tools for the control of parking and enforcement operations. Zatpark provides a single dashboard, streamlining enforcement processes, enabling teams to focus on customer service enhancements rather than manual enforcement. Dave Herbert, chief executive of Unity5 said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract by Reading Borough Council, recognising the quality and scalability of our suite of parking solutions. We look forward to collaborating with the team at Reading Borough Council to help realise the borough’s sustainable transport goals.”
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Making Complex Parking Processes Simple.
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F I N F O F I S S FI M F E O R F FE Z R R P F N F A R A P F A F R K FI N F G F I N F O F I S S FI M F E O R F FE Z N O FL G F A A I C F FI T G R F A F O T V FE A F R D E O F FT E N FE N F N L E A F FT E I Q N F R F F I P F A F T I N N F A F G N U D F A F A L O F G F A N A A F D F A G I U F FI S L R F FE C E N FI N F T L T FE N F D O FT M F T E T R F FI E T Y N F FI A T FI FE L O F F FI C E R FT N F O R N F N F E L S FE R F V I C FE G F R I G F FT S I E M F U F L T I M F O F D A FL M F S N O X F F O R D FS H F I R FE N F E Scan the QR code to submit your answer. Visit LinkedIn.com/company/conduent-uk for full terms and conditions. © 2023 Conduent, Inc. All rights reserved. Conduent and Conduent Agile Star are trademarks of Conduent, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.
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ALEXANDER LOUVET)
INTERNATIONAL Participants of the EPA eV General Meeting and subsequent foundation meeting of the EPA AISBL after the signature of the Founding Act
A European parking community European Parking Association prepares for the future
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he European Parking Association (EPA) has agreed to move its head offices from Germany to Brussels in Belgium so as to be closer to the heart of decision making in the European Union. The organisation has also elected leading UK parking consultant Nigel Williams as its new president. The EPA is the umbrella organisation for the European parking sector. The national association and commercial members represent the private companies and public bodies that operate and manage on and off-street parking facilities and related services throughout mainland Europe. The European Parking Association was founded in 1983 as the umbrella organisation for national parking associations in geographical Europe. The 23 current national member associations, including the British Parking Association, represent the parking sector as a whole, consisting of public bodies and private companies that are operating and managing on-street and offstreet parking structures and services. The associate members represent the supply industry that offers all related products and services concerned with parking. The EPA aims to facilitate cooperation between the parking organisations of different European countries, as well as the exchange and mutual support of professional experience among members relating to parking management and sustainable urban mobility. Last year the EPA’s members recognised that the association needed to evolve and be more agile and proactive. At the 2022 AGM, the EPA’s members gave the EPA board a mandate to transform the association into an effective advocacy and research organisation focussing on issues of strategic importance for the European parking sector. The members approved a proposal to move the EPA from Cologne in Germany to Brussels, to be closer to the EU Commission and other important entities and to incorporate it as an international not-for-profit organisation
under Belgian law. The members also approved the appointment of a full-time executive director and support staff to deliver an action plan focussed on sustainable lobbying and research activities which align with the evolving interests of the European parking sector. A governance working group was established to guide the transformation of the EPA into the new EPA 2.0. The new structure will enable the association to be more commercially minded in its activities and fundraising than is presently possible under German law. One year on, the European Parking Association held its Annual General Meeting in Brussels on 14-15 September 2023. Nearly 50 representatives from the 23 full and 36 associate members of the EPA attended the Brussels event. The first day explored topics such as EV charging and fire regulations, crossborder enforcement and the new obligations to share parking data under the revised EU ITS Directive. The culmination of the two-day event was the official signing, in front of a Belgian notary, of the constitutional act of the new Brussels-based EPA AISBL by 14 founding members. There are two main legal forms for nonprofit organisations under Belgian law: the nonprofit association (Association sans but lucratif – ASBL) and the international non-profit association (Association internationale sans but lucratif – AISBL). The EPA has opted to become the latter. The new EPA AISBL will focus on the following: • Representing the national professional associations at European level on all matters concerning parking and sustainable mobility. • Monitoring and engaging with initiatives at EU level related to parking management and sustainable urban mobility. • Collecting and sharing amongst members and stakeholders data, technology and regulations of importance for the European parking sector. • Building relationships and cooperating with stakeholders and their representative organisations
in the field of urban mobility in Europe and globally. The second day started with the Annual General Meeting of the existing EPA eV. During the general meeting, two resolutions of principle were passed to transfer the activities and assets of the Cologne, Germany based EPA eV to the new Brussels based EPA AISBL as of 2024. The transformation of the EPA eV into the EPA AISBL, aims to enhance the perception and recognition of the association with the EU institutions, national governments, public authorities and other relevant stakeholders. The relocation of the EPA secretariat from Cologne to Brussels is planned for Spring 2024 to bring it physically closer to the relevant EU institutions and bodies. As soon as the new EPA AISBL is officially registered and operational, the activities of the EPA eV will be phased out. To ensure operational continuity, it was decided that the current board will remain in place until the first regular cycle of elections of the EPA AISBL takes place in the autumn of 2024. The British Parking Association (BPA) nominees Nigel Williams and Manny Rasores were unanimously re-elected as EPA president and policy and strategy committee member respectively. Nigel Williams said: “Although it will be a few weeks before the EPA AISBL receives legal personality by Royal Decree, we will not stand around waiting. Over the next 12 months we will forge ahead with the activities that we commenced over the last 12 months. We will also put in place a new communications strategy and develop environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) guidelines and initiatives to assist our members. As soon as the EPA AISBL is fully functional, in early 2024, we will send out the new membership application forms and finalise membership fees to allow all existing EPA members to renew their commitment to our association.” www.europeanparking.eu
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UK PARLIAMENT
PARKING POLICY
King Charles III
Paving the way ahead The King’s Speech set out a legal path to autonomous cars and introduction of digital Traffic Regulation Orders
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he regulation of autonomous vehicles, introduction of digital Traffic Regulation Orders and controls on pedicabs were among the ideas set out in the King’s Speech. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last summer this was the first King’s Speech in more than 70 years and King Charles’ first as monarch, although he stood in for his mother in May 2022. It was also Rishi Sunak’s first as prime minister, and likely to be his last before the next general election, which is expected next year and must happen by the end of January 2025. Sunak used the speech to make law and order the centre of his government’s priorities ahead of the next general election. The Conservative government plans to present 21 bills to Parliament. Beside bills focussed on deterring and punishing crime, there will be draft legislation designed to phase out the sale of cigarettes and reforms of the residential leasehold system. In the traffic and transport arena, the King’s Speech included an Automated Vehicles Bill and a Draft Rail Reform Bill. However, the King’s Speech was possibly more interesting for what was absent than what it contained, at least from a traffic and parking management point of view. For example, there was no sign of expected legislation to restrict the spread of traffic calming low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) and 20mph zones, action promised in The Plan for Drivers unveiled at the Conservative Party Conference. Neither was there any sign of expected regulations covering the use of electric scooters in public places.
Automated Vehicles Bill This bill will allow autonomous vehicles to operate without safety drivers on roads for the first time across Britain. The bill will set a safety framework for self-driving vehicles, holding companies
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accountable once vehicles are on roads. Only vehicles that can drive themselves safely and can follow all road traffic rules without the need for a human to monitor or control the vehicle to maintain that level of safety will be classified as self-driving and allowed on the UK’s roads. The Department for Transport and its agencies will be given new powers to authorise these vehicles and ensure in-use compliance with the safety standards that we will set. The bill sets out new processes to investigate incidents involving self-driving vehicles to ensure that lessons are fed back into the safety framework. The bill also sets out the need to digitalise Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs). Local authorities will be required to send the legal orders they make (for example, to set speed limits, close roads and designate parking bays) to a central publication platform. This data will be used to create a digital map of the road network to support the safe operation of self-driving vehicles. This will also help make parking easier for all drivers, providing better information like the location and availability of parking spaces, as outlined in The Plan for Drivers. The bill will create new organisations responsible for selfdriving. While the vehicle is driving itself, a company rather than an individual will be responsible for the way it drives. The bill sets out the responsibilities of companies that develop and operate self-driving vehicles on roads in Great Britain. Once authorised, companies will have ongoing obligations to keep their vehicles safe and ensure that they continue to drive in accordance with British laws. They will be required to report certain safety related data to the authorisation authority and the in-use regulator and to comply with other relevant laws, including data protection and environmental protection legislation. The bill gives people immunity from prosecution when a selfdriving vehicle is driving itself, given it does not make sense to then hold the person sat behind the wheel responsible. Nondriving responsibilities however will still remain with that person, such as maintaining appropriate insurance for the vehicle and ensuring proper loading, as well as responsibility during any part of the journey where the person is driving.
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PARKING POLICY To protect consumers the bill prohibits misleading marketing: only vehicles that meet the safety threshold can be marketed as self-driving. For all other vehicles, the driver is responsible at all times. Anyone using a self-driving vehicle must be clear about their legal responsibilities. The majority of the measures in the bill will extend and apply to Great Britain. England and Wales. The exception to this is the Digitalising Traffic Regulations Order measure, which applies only to England.
A plan to protect drivers Government acts against ‘anti-car measures’
Pedicabs (London) Bill A law to regulate and license London’s pedicabs will be introduced, giving powers to Transport for London in relation to the threewheeled vehicles. It stems from the London MP Nickie Aiken’s private member’s bill. Pedicabs are the only form of unregulated public transport on London’s roads – the only place in England and Wales where they are not regulated. The government says people experience anti-social, unsafe, and nuisance behaviour from some pedicab operators and drivers. The government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, published earlier this year, committed to ensuring the police and local authorities have the tools they need to tackle the scourge of unruly and criminal behaviour, protect the public, and keep communities safe. The Pedicabs (London) Bill will give Transport for London powers to regulate London’s pedicab industry so that passengers, pedestrians and other road users go about their lives safe in the knowledge these vehicles and their operators are properly licensed and accountable.
E-scooter regulation on hold No sign of new mobility legislation
E-scooters in London There was no mention of new regulations on e-scooters in the King’s Speech. The government previously promised to introduce a new regulatory framework through a Transport Bill in last year’s Queen’s Speech but it is yet to act. With legislation delayed, the government is instead looking to extend existing scooter rental trials until May 2026. More than 50 organisations, including environmental charities and campaigners, recently united, urging prime minister Rishi Sunak to establish a new powered light vehicle class that would include e-scooters and light electric cargo vehicles. The shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) is concerned that the UK government is falling behind the rest of the world with its lack of action on e-scooters and other powered micro vehicles. CoMoUK says that Britain is almost the only developed nation without either permanently legal e-scooters or committed plans to legalise them. Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “It’s disappointing that while over 100 cities across Europe, North America and Asia have already embraced e-scooters, and despite previous commitments, ministers have been slow to catch on. While we urgently need to see an extension to the trials to capitalise on the popularity of e-scooters, this does not address that private vehicles are unlikely to undergo regular maintenance by trained professionals.”
Mark Harper
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imits on the future roll-out of 20mph zones and low traffic neighbourhoods formed a central plank of a raft of proposed measures designed to support drivers unveiled at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. The government also committed to roll out a system that allows drivers to pay for parking using whatever cashless app they prefer and action to tackle the disruption caused by roadworks. The Plan for Drivers was announced as the Conservative Party conference commenced in Manchester and on the back of a week during which prime minister Rishi Sunak pushed back the planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by five years to 2035. In his conference speech the prime minister said: “For too long politicians have focussed on the short-term decisions with little regard for the long-term impact on hardworking families. We’ve seen this consistently with people’s freedoms on transport. The clamp down on drivers is an attack on the day-to-day lives of most people across the UK who rely on cars to get to work or see their families. The UK government will set out a long-term plan to back drivers, slamming the brakes on anti-car measures across England. We are taking the necessary decision to back the motorists who keep our country moving.” The government will seek to amend guidance on low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) to focus on local consent. It also wants to stop councils implementing so-called ‘15-minute cities’ by consulting on ways to prevent schemes which “aggressively restrict” where people can drive. The measures include reviewing guidance on 20mph speed limits in England to prevent their blanket use in areas where it is not appropriate. This is a marked contrast to the approach taken in Wales, where a 20mph default speed limit introduced on restricted road. Building on Sunak’s pro-driver narrative, transport secretary Mark Harper said a call for evidence will be launched on options to restrict the ability of local authorities to generate revenue surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous traffic enforcement, such as yellow-box junctions. The Department for Transport will strengthen guidance to make sure bus lanes only operate when necessary and a consultation will be launched on motorcycles using bus lanes. Drivers across the country will also benefit from new technology to simplify parking payments. The plan says the National Parking Platform (NPP) will be rolled out nationwide so that drivers can use an app of their choice to pay instead of downloading multiple apps. Harper said: “Too often the private car is vilified when it has been one of the most powerful forces for personal freedom and economic growth. That’s why the government is taking the long-term, necessary decision to back the motorists who keep our country moving. We’re introducing a plan to ensure drivers can enjoy smoother journeys, park more easily and no longer face unfair and oppressive traffic enforcement measures.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON PARKING Zoe Hall
Tim Gunn
Sarah Randall
Planning for the future Spotlight on Parking 2023 An expert discussion of solutions to parking problems
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he Spotlight on Parking series has been run by Alpha Parking since 2014 to provide a space in which professionals can discuss their experiences of devising and implementing policies and new ways of working. The Spotlight on Parking 2023 event was held at the Royal Society in London on 10 October. The theme of this year’s seminar was ‘Parking: Planning for the Future’. The presentations covered a wide range of issues including how parking policies can support sustainable travel, tackling Blue Badge fraud, implementing moving traffic regulations and the implementation of the National Parking Platform (NPP). Zoe Hall, strategic parking manager at Cornwall Council, is passionate about promoting positive parking. She discussed how parking policy can be used to support sustainable travel. Cornwall is a largely rural county with a high degree of car dependency when it comes to work, school run and shopping trips. This year round reliance on the car is compounded by the influx of tourist cars in the summer, resulting in congestion on narrow roads and pressure on some car parks. The county council has started using parking tariffs as a behaviour change tool to encourage the use of buses, rail and park & ride. Previously complex parking tariffs have been simplified to create just three price bands. The council has adopted a progressive
pricing model, with the most expensive band being applied to car parks in locations with good public transport links. Reduced parking tariffs for electric vehicles supports decarbonisation, as do incentives for carsharing and ridesharing, and free or low-cost parking for bicycles. The positive use of technology to implement traffic and parking policies was a theme picked up in a presentation on deterring and detecting Blue Badge fraud by Tim Gunn, compliance manager of the London Borough of Haringey. Blue Badge theft and misuse was a major concern for the borough’s residents, so Gunn’s team developed a more robust enforcement policy supported by two innovations: a virtual Resident Blue Badge Holder Permit is open to all Blue Badge holders in the borough; and a Blue Badge Checker feature on civil enforcement officers’ handheld devices to check the status and authenticity of a badge while on patrol. One of the sector’s most innovative minds, Robert Shoebridge, group manager at
Derby City Council, discussed moving traffic enforcement. Derby was the first English local authority outside London to implement Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act. Shoebridge said there was decision to focus on bringing camera enforcement in streets around schools. He stressed the importance of preparation and planning in order to make sure signs, systems and procedures all worked before the enforcement of the School Safe Havens began. This ground work ensured the scheme withstood challenges at appeal. The fact the Traffic Penalty Tribunal found Derby ‘substantially compliant’ when adjudicating was evidence that the scheme was working, said Shoebridge. Sarah Randall, director of propositions and local authority at Agena Group, spoke about the National Parking Platform. Currently local authorities tend to contract with one cashless parking provider and the various apps do not talk to one another, so drivers are forced to use multiple apps when travelling. The NPP seeks to fix this by creating a hub between parking providers and apps, all participating apps can offer parking in all participating locations. As a result, users can use their preferred app everywhere; and local authorities get access to all participating providers for less effort.
Alpha Parking
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s chief adjudicator Caroline Hamilton chaired Spotlight on Parking
Alpha Parking is a consultancy working with private and public parking operations, providing a one stop shop service for on-street and off-street needs. www.aparking.co.uk
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BUSINESS NEWS
EasyPark set to buy Flowbird Group Cashless payment provider seeks to broaden global reach Cashless parking specialist EasyPark is set to buy Flowbird Group, a global company providing integrated parking and transportation solutions. EasyPark Group, which provides mobile paid parking in Europe, North America and Australia, intends to acquire Flowbird Group, which produces a range of parking payment technology systems. EasyPark has identified uniting with Flowbird Group as a way of increasing its reach in thousands of new locations around the world. EasyPark Group’s owners, the investment firms Vitruvian Partners and Verdane, are supporting the intended acquisition and the current owner of Flowbird Group, Searchlight Capital Partners, has agreed to re-invest most of its capital into EasyPark Group. The deal is subject to approvals by relevant authorities and the parties have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction. EasyPark Group was launched in 2001 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden. It now operates in over 4,000 cities across
Cameron Clayton more than 20 countries. It owns and develops the apps EasyPark, ParkMobile, RingGo and Park-line. Cameron Clayton, chief executive of EasyPark Group, said: “The next chapter of EasyPark Group’s growth journey means doubling down on helping cities become more liveable. Through a well-suited mix of mobility and transportation services, EasyPark Group will improve urban traffic flow, space utilization and accessibility globally. We will empower our partners to reinvest in cities public transportation, urban green spaces, and safety. “Our intended acquisition of Flowbird Group will strengthen
our offerings to cities, partners, and users, with a shared commitment to customer satisfaction and driving long-term growth and innovation. This opportunity offers new possibilities for employees at both companies, and we’re excited to be able to welcome Flowbird Group into the EasyPark Group team. Combined, we aim to take greater responsibility for the digitalization of urban mobility and aspire to become the leading global mobility platform provider as soon as the deal is closed.” Flowbird Group operates under the brands Flowbird, YourParkingSpace, TPARK, Extenso Cloud, and Yellowbrick and offers multiple mobility solu-
ZZPS appoints Brient as chief solutions officer ZZPS, a provider of outsourced services to the private parking industry, has appointed Michael Brient as its chief solutions officer (CSO) a new role within the company. As CSO Brient will be responsible for the creation and delivery of innovative services, new technologies and client relationships that drive growth and value for the company and its customers. Brient will oversee the business support team, solution design, competitive positioning, and product offerings of ZZPS. He will also work with other members of the senior management team to ensure customer satisfaction and success. Gary Osner, chief executive of ZZPS, said: “Michael, as the newest appointment to the ZZPS senior management team has a wealth of knowledge in both public and private
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Michael Brient sector enforcement and debt resolution and has worked on many high-profile projects throughout his career, including the Transport for London Congestion Charging scheme, BBC TV Licensing and has held several board positions in the enforcement industry. “He has a deep understanding of clients’ needs and challenges, and a passion for delivering solutions that
solve their most complex problems. I am confident that Michael will continue our mission to drive innovation and excellence in our service offerings and help us achieve our mission of ‘Getting it Right, First Time, Every Time’.” Brient has more than 30 years of experience in the enforcement and debt resolution industry, with a focus on exceeding clients’ expectations and delivering long standing client partnerships. “I am excited to take up this role and lead the solutions team at ZZPS. I am incredibly invested in ensuring that we exceed the expectations of our clients and outperform our competitors,” said Brient. “We have a very talented and dedicated team and a loyal and growing customer base. I look forward to working with all of them to create and deliver the best solutions in the market.”
tions, covering equipment and services such as pay & display machines, software, and park & charge. Flowbird Group also offers transportation solutions, both within ticketing and open payments for debit and credit cards, as well as mobile wallets. Paris-based Flowbird is the latest incarnation of a company that has operated under a number of identities, including Schlumberger and Parkeon. It is best known as a producer of parking payment terminals, but in recent years has diversified into the cashless parking and electric vehicle charging arenas. Notably, last year it acquired UK online parking marketplace YourParkingSpace, which itself had developed a new suite of payment systems for car parks. Frederic Beylier, chief executive of Flowbird Group, said: “We look forward to joining forces with EasyPark Group. This highly complementary combination aims to create an integrated player in the mobility space enabling new multi-modal mobility solutions for the benefit of commuters and travellers looking for effortless mobility solutions and sustainable travelling. We are excited to collaborate with EasyPark Group’s leadership team on this fantastic entrepreneurial journey as soon as the deal is closed.”
Randall joins Agena Group Sarah Randall has swapped life in local government for a role in the private sector. She has joined Agena Group as director of propositions and local authority at Agena Group . Randall was most recently assistant director of parking at the London Borough of Redbridge and previously head of parking services at Croydon Council. She was named Parking Person of the Year in 2022.
Sarah Randall
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BUSINESS NEWS
Event specialists under new ownership NEP buys event parking specialists Combined Services Provider Combined Services Provider, a provider of traffic management and car parking services at special events and venues, has been acquired by Norland Equity Partners Acquisition (NEP). Founded in 1994, CSP provides traffic management, security and stewarding, hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) solutions and car parking services for prestigious sports and event venues such as Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium, Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge, The Wimbledon Championship, The Open Golf and the Epsom Derby. The company is headquartered in Watford and has opened a new hub in Liverpool following its winning a contract with Liverpool FC’s stadium at Anfield. With NEP’s backing, supported by investor partners including Aurica Capital Search Fund, CSP plans to scale its service coverage further across the UK and Europe starting with the North of England. Ola Lawal, managing partner of NEP, will be joining the CSP leadership team bringing 20 years’ experience in guiding businesses and supporting companies to scale. CSP will also be adjusting its board members to support the company’s planned expansion. CSP’s current director of operations, Alan Neill, will assume the position of interim chief operating officer while the com-
pany’s current managing director, Tony Nikolic, will transition into an advisory role. Alan Neill, interim COO of CSP said: “Joining hands with NEP represents a strategic partnership that will help to capitalise on market opportunities and deliver our market leading services to our clients and prospects. The new board and NEP’s extensive experience in scale-up is an invaluable asset as we deliver our refreshed long-term vision and focus on further investment in people and technology. This partnership also reinforces our commitment to not only sustain but elevate the quality and scope of services that our clients
Ola Lawal
have come to expect from us.” Founder and former chairman, Dave Butler, will remain on the board as a non-executive director, providing guidance, technical expertise and sharing his experience with the leadership team and new board. Butler said: “As we embark on this new chapter, it is important to recognise those that have played crucial roles in our success. Tony, our current managing director, has been instrumental in shaping CSP into the industry leader it is today. Although, he will be stepping back from his role to hand over to Alan, we are delighted that he will continue to support in an advisory capacity.
Alan Neill
Strategic Value Partners to acquire APCOA Investment company Strategic Value Partners is to up its stake in APCOA, taking ownership of the entire business of the European parking operator. SVP is a global alternative investment firm with over $18bn of assets under management. SVPmanaged funds have now entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of APCOA Parking Holdings. The transaction is expected to close in the next three months, subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals as well as other customary closing conditions. APCOA provides car park management services across Europe, including the UK and Ireland, operating around 1.8 million parking spaces across 13,000 sites in over 400 cities.
The parking company claims to generate approximately €900m in annual revenues. It works with a private and public real estate owners, provides outsourced services for parking centres, electric vehicle charging stations and urban hubs. Funds managed by SVP have been a minority shareholder in APCOA since 2014. As part of this acquisition, SVP funds will acquire shares from current majority shareholder Centerbridge and other minority shareholders. Philippe Op de Beeck, chief executive of APCOA, said: “We thank Centerbridge for their support and are looking forward to our next chapter of growth under the ownership of SVP. “We see SVP’s investment as a strong vote of
“Alan’s transition into interim COO comes as a natural progression, given his profound understanding of our operations and dedication to customer service excellence. We are excited that he remains a key member of the future leadership team.” Chris Daniels, an entrepreneurial leader with a background in scaling companies and a particular expertise in the sports sector, has been appointed the new chairman of the board. Daniels will support CSP’s growth, maintain corporate governance standards and drive stakeholder engagement. Ola Lawal, managing partner of NEP added: “We are thrilled about our new partnership with CSP given its growth trajectory. Dave Butler and the leadership team have built CSP into a market leader with a strong brand and reputation. Our priority is to deliver value enhancing services to CSP customers and focus on new market opportunities in the UK and Europe. We are looking forward to working with the experienced team at CSP and customers to build on the success to date.”
Dave Butler
confidence in APCOA’s strategy and business model, the strength of our client relationships and the quality of the management team and broader employee base. “With this backing, we will continue to focus on maximising the value of our clients’ assets, developing our digital services, and increasing our push into EV charging and inner-city sustainable mobility.” John Brantl, co-head of SVP’s European Investment Team, said: “We are excited to partner with the team at APCOA to unlock significant value, particularly around increasing automation, capitalising on underutilised space and monetising EV charging. Through organic growth, operational improvements and investing heavily in innovative technologies, we look forward to helping the APCOA team take the business to the next level.”
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BUSINESS NEWS
APN Group enters the enforcement market Marrs and Clarke take key leadership roles Newly formed APN Group, a provider of debt recovery and enforcement services, has completed the build-out of its board structure by the appointment of Mike Marrs as its chief executive and Harry Clarke as chair. Patrick Isaacs, chief executive of Capital and Trust, and lead investor, said: “The APN group will be trusted to collect, process and account for monies owed to others, we therefore required an individual of integrity and probity as chairman and we are genuinely delighted Mike has chosen to take the role.” Marrs worked with enforcement specialist Marston Holdings for over two decades, most recently as business development director. He is a familiar face within the parking industry having only recently stepped down as president of the British Parking Association. Marrs is also an entrepreneur working in areas outside parking. “I’m stoked to be back in harness and building relationships in the parking, debt and enforcement world, that, frankly, I love,” said Marrs. “Everyone who knows
Mike Marrs me knows I’m not your typical corporate exec, but at APN Group we’re leaning into what makes us different. That’s how we’ll use our collective expertise to bring the industry exactly what it wants and has been waiting for.” APN Group’s first move in the sector has been to acquire Trace Enforcement Group, a provider of debt recovery and enforcement services to the private and public parking sectors. APN has appointed John Mason as managing director, Paul Kyte as client director, and Colin Arthur as transformation director. The three founding directors of Trace Enforcement Group – Chloe Barnes, Louis Ellis and
Harry Clarke David Jarvis – remain shareholders, and have taken up active roles within the newly established APN Group. Harry Clarke is best known as the founder of RingGo, a phone parking app now used by over 18 million motorists. His career has been spent in the telecommunications and technology sectors. He has held a succession of national and international executive business development and leadership positions which have given way, more latterly, to advisory and interim roles. Clarke said: “I have spent over 20 years bringing efficiency, quality and process improvement to local government revenue col-
APN Group acquires Trace Enforcement Group
Colin Arthur, Paul Kyte and John Mason APN Group has acquired Trace Enforcement Group, a provider of debt recovery and enforcement services to the private and public parking sectors. In support of the transaction, APN announced the appointment of three industry-leading figures to its lead the company’s development– John Mason, Paul Kyte and Colin Arthur. John Mason has been appointed as Trace’s
22 | PARKING REVIEW
managing director. Formerly Mason served as a director and board member of CDER Group, having previously worked as director of traffic enforcement and congestion charging for Transport for London (TfL) and as head of off-street parking for City of Westminster Council. Colin Arthur, previously operations director at Debt Recovery Plus, takes up the newly created role
lection processes. I firmly believe that the wider debt recovery sector and its customers deserve to benefit from technological advancement. This approach can make for much more effective as well as fairer, appropriately targeted recovery of unpaid monies.” In his non-executive board role Clarke will support executive director Tom Clough in the role of group general counsel and company secretary, and Eddie Harrison as chief operating officer. Clough and Harrison previously worked together at Lowell Group, one of Europe’s largest acquirers of non-performing loan book portfolios.
of transformation director. Paul Kyte, a former head of parking at Worcester Council and consultant with RTA Associates, joins from Bristow and Sutor as client director. APN Group has fully acquired Trace Enforcement Group, which comprises Trace Enforcement Services, Trace Debt Recovery and Trace Managed Services. The founding directors of Trace Enforcement Group – Chloe Barnes, Louis Ellis and David Jarvis – remain shareholders, and have taken up active roles within APN Group. News of the acquisition follows the announcement that RingGo founder Harry Clarke has joined APN Group as chair and Mike Marrs as its chief executive. John Mason, managing director, Trace Enforcement Group, said: “After nearly 30 years in the parking enforcement and debt recovery sector I am delighted to have the opportunity to build upon the robust success that the Trace Group has already achieved.” Eddie Harrison, chief operating officer of APN Group, added: “APN Group is bringing together real expertise in both private and parking sectors with a genuine understanding of data, process and technology to create something new and meaningful. We’re delighted to bring Trace Enforcement Group into our newly established structure, and we can’t wait to share more news on our further growth and diversification as soon as we are able.”
PR377_P20-23_Business.qxp_PR377_p20-23 06/12/2023 16:47 Page 23
BUSINESS NEWS paperwork FLEETCOR acquires PayByPhone NPED completed Volkswagen Financial Services sells parking payment specialist
Volkswagen has sold the cashless parking provider PayByPhone to US business payments company FLEETCOR Technologies. Volkswagen Financial Services acquired PayByPhone from PayPoint in 2016. PayByPhone claims to have now over 6 million active monthly users who use its services to find and pay for parking in a network of more than 1,350 parking operators in North America and Europe, including the UK. The Canada-based company processed over 200 million payment transactions in 2023. The acquisition of PayByPhone expands the set of vehicle payment solutions FLEETCOR offers both fleet customers and consumers. The FLEETCOR portfolio of brands automate, secure, digitise and manage payment transactions in more than 100 countries in North America, Latin America,
Ron Clarke Europe, and Asia Pacific. “We are delighted to announce the PayByPhone acquisition,” said Ron Clarke, chairman and chief executive officer, FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. “Our acquisition was driven by two key strategic objectives. First, by providing our customers access to one of the world’s leading parking apps, it helps expand the vehicle payment solutions we provide our B2B fleet customers in North America and Europe. “Second, it will serve as an
anchor app for the consumer vehicle payments business we are launching in the UK, where PayByPhone has over 2 million active monthly consumers. “Our strategy is to deliver our existing payment products and networks through a single mobile app to PayByPhone’s UK customers. This strategy has already been quite successful in Brazil, and we are excited about the opportunities in the UK, and ultimately, intend to expand the strategy into Europe and North America.”
Legal paperwork creating the National Persistent Evader Database is complete, says the initiative’s founder. Alan Wood has spent ten years setting up what is the country’s only centralised database of offending vehicle behaviour. NPED uses data from a range of sources to track the vehicle registrations of people who do not pay parking tickets or tax, MOT or insure their vehicles. It will also monitor vehicles without keeper details and cloned plates. Wood says research shows a large percentage of these multiple offenders have direct links to vehicle related criminal activity and anti-social behaviour and more than 60% of persistent evaders are non-compliant, Vehicle Excise Duty, MOT or insurance. “NPED will establish the true state of our vehicle community,” he said. “It is a truly connected way to create a single data environment of offending vehicle use that assists to identify, prioritise, locate and deal with the most persistent and/or highest risk offenders.”
Intelli-Park sold for £120m Intelli-Park, a parking technology and management solutions provider, has been sold to an international consortium in a deal valued at over £120m. The group of investors is led by Palladian Investment Partners LLP, which included a minority investment from Vecturis Equity. Intelli-Park manages privately owned car park sites, helping landowners drive asset monetisation. The company currently manages over 2,000 sites across the UK, with blue-chip clients including McDonalds, Savills, JLL, the NHS and Cushman & Wakefield. The business has recently signed a contract with Shell to distribute EV technology across its sites and separately expanded operations into Germany. Originally known as UK Parking Control, earlier this year the business rebranded itself as a one-stop-shop for intelligent parking solutions, offering customers a tech-enabled tool kit of mobility services. By pairing the management team, led by Ben Cooke, with strategic capital partners, the transaction marks a step change in Intelli-Park’s growth and development. The backing from Palladian and
other investors will also enable Intelli-Park to enhance its technology and service offering, accelerate the roll-out of EV charging infrastructure across its estate, and undertake acquisitions in the UK and Europe. Ben Cooke, group co-chief executive of Intelli-Park, said: “We are thrilled to announce the successful management buyout of Intelli-Park and extremely excited to be partnering with Palladian Investment Partners and Vecturis Equity in Germany. “These strategic partnerships represent a significant milestone for our company and will empower us to continue providing best-in-class technology solutions to our clients and will further accelerate our digital footprint in the market. We are very excited about the future and look forward to working closely with Palladian and Vecturis to achieve our shared vision. “A special mention goes to the team that have been instrumental in making this happen and our trusted advisors Solano Partners, who have supported us every step of the way.” Solano Partners are a boutique investment bank specialising in innovative technology businesses.
We currently supply and have vacancies around the UK for Permanent and Temporary positions: • Civil Enforcement Officers • Environmental Enforcement Officers • Parking Back Office (Appeals/Notice Processing/Correspondence) • Parking Change Management • Interim Parking Managers • Car Park Attendants/Marshalls/Stewarding • Parking Supervisors (Both Enforcement and Back Office) • Parking Management (Both Enforcement and Back Office) • Heads of Parking/Directors • Parking Technologies (Business Development and Project Managers/ Field Service Engineers/General Managers)
• Off Street Parking (Business Development, Contract Managers and Regional Managers)
• CCTV Operators – SIA and BTEC qualified
Looking for staff or need employment? Please contact our experienced team on: Tel: 0203 668 5680 Email: parking@unity-recruitment.co.uk Web: www.unity-recruitment.co.uk
***Parking Experience Essential***
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PR377_P24-27_Greenwich.qxp_PR377_p24-27 06/12/2023 16:42 Page 24
POLICY
Cllr Averil Lekau (deputy leader, Royal Borough of Greenwich), Rokhsana Fiaz (mayor of the London Borough of Newham), Seb Dance (deputy mayor of London for Transport), Cllr Anthony Okereke (leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich) and Cllr James Asser (deputy mayor, London Borough of Newham)
Setting new directions Greenwich transport leader Averil Lekau talks to Deniz Huseyin about charting a path that encompasses climate resilience and better streets
G
reenwich’s Transport Strategy includes plans to improve road safety and air quality, boost active travel and bus use, and roll out 20mph limits and controlled parking zones. For the council’s political lead for transport and environment, Averil Lekau, maintaining the status quo is not an option. Amid the political rhetoric concerning drivers’ rights and ‘15minute cities’, Cllr Lekau appears steadfast in her determination to create people-friendly streets while meeting net zero targets by 2030. Since May 2022, she has been the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s deputy leader and cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport. She recognises that some schemes will be unpopular with motorists, but argues that issues around public health, road safety, liveable streets and climate change can no longer be ignored. “Anything that changes people’s behaviour is always a challenge,” she says. “Most people may agree with the principle of what you are doing, but once it impacts on them directly, then there’s a bit of kickback, isn’t there?” Lekau believes the rights of non-drivers in the borough should also be considered, especially as they now represent a significant part of the population. According to the latest Census data (2021), 43% of households in the borough do not have access to a car. She told me: “Whatever the case, it should also be noted that transport is the second biggest source of emissions in the borough. We need to improve air quality and encourage more sustainable modes of transport to create a climate resistant transport network.” Any assessment of people-friendly streets must recognise the
24 | PARKING REVIEW
positive impact on health and wellbeing, she insists. “Our adult social care budget is huge in terms of care packages. So, these costs also have to be taken into account. We need to look at how we can move from a reactive to a preventative approach.” The rate of physical activity among adults in Greenwich is lower than the London average while childhood obesity is higher than the London average, according to research carried out for the council. Lekau says: “That’s why we need to make our streets and public spaces more attractive, inclusive, and encourage people to walk and cycle, reducing the reliance on cars.” Greenwich officers in the public health and transport departments are working more closely together, she points out. “When I took on this portfolio, I was very clear that we had to look at any changes in our transport through the lens of public health, and to respond to the new challenges.”
Transport strategy These aims are set out in the council’s Transport Strategy, which was published in October last year. Greenwich has pledged to invest £3.1m to improve infrastructure for walking and cycling, tackle congestion and improve air quality. The funding, including £2.1m from Transport for London (TfL) and £1m from the council’s own budget, will support transport priorities including: 20mph speed limits; controlled parking zones (CPZs); more School Streets; emissions-based parking charges; free cycle training, and a ‘try before you bike’ scheme run with Peddle My Wheels. Work has started on improving public spaces in Greenwich town centre to encourage more walking and cycling, as part of the Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme. The work is designed to complement improvements to cycle routes between Greenwich and Woolwich. This is one of only five Liveable Neighbourhoods that TfL has funded this year. TfL said that another 13 Liveable Neighbourhood schemes have been “paused” due to its “constrained financial position”.
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POLICY
Buses to Woolwich
Cycle lanes
Queen Elizabeth Line
School Streets
School Streets
Car clubs
The Transport Strategy aims to implement more School Streets in the borough. So far, 11 School Streets have been trialled and the council is in the process of making them permanent while they identify more schools to trial. “It is all about making the streets outside schools safer, and encouraging children to cycle to school,” explains Lekau. “Part and parcel of that is to give the confidence that their route to school is safe.” Alongside improved road safety, School Streets have also eradicated the problem of engine idling, she says.
The council is also hoping that increased car club availability will encourage residents to make the switch from ownership to rental. Car club vehicles on public roads are currently operated by Enterprise Car Club while some cars parked in off-street parking bays are operated by Zipcar. Hiya Car, a peer-to-peer car club, is also available in the borough. “We are currently working with a number of car club companies to help increase the number of cars available to local people and move the overall number of car club vehicles available to residents of the borough from twenty to one hundred this year,” says Lekau. “We’re also working with external partners to offer more EV charging points.”
20mph roll-out Lekau is equally passionate in her support for more 20mph roads across the borough. Lekau says: “For me, the 20mph limit is fundamental to reducing road danger because a person is five times more likely to be fatally injured at 30mph compared with 20mph. And these are the lives of our residents I’m talking about. So, anything that increases their safety, to me is key.” Most residential streets in borough are already 20mph zones. “We’ve already made some good progress. There are several corridors, including some principal roads, which we need to consider whilst tackling the remaining residential areas. The Transport Strategy commits us to considering a borough-wide 20mph limit, and we need to figure out how best to achieve this.”
Road user hierarchy The council is planning to re-allocate kerbspace from parking to other uses such as rain gardens, bike hangars, parklets and EV chargepoints. The strategy sets out a road user hierarchy to appraise transport schemes and prioritise kerbside space for users with greatest need. “Pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, and people with mobility issues are given the most priority, and long stay vehicle parking given the least priority,” explains Lekau. “The Transport Strategy is clear that applying this hierarchy may often mean we consider providing fewer vehicle parking places, especially where there is ample off-street parking or if parking occupancy is relatively low. There are currently 48 bike hangars in the borough, each of which stores six bikes. “There has been a surge in demand since the start of the pandemic and we are actively looking to expand and help address this demand,” says Lekau.
DLR and Superloop Lekau also points to the council’s efforts to improve public transport in Greenwich. This includes plans for a cross-river DLR extension from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside and a bus rapid transit (BRT) connecting Thamesmead to the Elizabeth line at both Woolwich and Abbey Wood. A proposal has been submitted to the government by TfL along with partners Greenwich and Newham councils and three landowners – Thamesmead Waterfront (a joint venture between Peabody and Lendlease), abrdn (formerly Aberdeen Standard Investments) and St William (a Berkeley Group company). The Strategic Outline Case (SOC) includes the Thamesmead & Beckton Riverside Public Transport Programme, which aims to “unlock the huge opportunity that exists to boost transport provision in this area”, says Lekau. Under the plans, a new DLR station would be built at Beckton Riverside, with a tunnel under the River Thames linked to another new DLR station at Thamesmead. “This is an area of great deprivation,” says Lekau. “We’ve seen the huge impact of the Elizabeth Line, and the DLR extension could unleash that kind of impact in this area – it would be a game changer.” Buses also feature in the Transport Strategy’s vision to challenge the dominance of the car. In July TfL launched the Superloop network, which aims to improve public transport connectivity in outer London by linking town centres, hospitals, schools, and transport hubs. One of the new services is the extended SL3 to Thamesmead.
PARKING REVIEW | 25
PR377_P24-27_Greenwich.qxp_PR377_p24-27 06/12/2023 16:42 Page 26
POLICY l l
A car club vehicle in Greenwich
“The extension of SL3 to Thamesmead supports our business case for DLR,” says Lekau. “However, further steps are needed to create a complete network. We are working with Transport for London to deliver more new routes and bigger bus priority schemes across the borough.”
Parking strategy Greenwich’s parking policy targets unnecessary car trips and encourages low emission vehicles. A roll-out of controlled parking zones (CPZs) to cover the whole borough is also planned. Currently about 30% of the borough’s roads are within a CPZ. “We also plan to improve and increase controls within existing CPZs, to ensure they’re clear, standardised and consistent borough wide,” says Averil Lekau. “CPZs are an essential tool in managing our valuable street space. They allow us to prioritise space for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, and people with mobility issues. They also discourage unnecessary car trips that could otherwise be carried out on foot, by public transport or by bicycle. And they discourage multiple car ownership and encourage lower emission vehicles.” In August the council introduced emissions-based parking permits as part of its commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The new system comprises 13 emission bands, mirroring the banding used by the DVLA, offering discounts of up to 80% for the least polluting vehicles. If more than one vehicle is registered at the same address, a £100 surcharge is applied for each additional vehicle, and all diesel vehicles will incur a £50 surcharge. Resident and business permits, including new applications and renewals, are now charged based on the vehicle’s CO2 emission categories, as registered with the DVLA. “These changes to parking charges and permit costs will encourage residents and businesses to embrace more environmentally friendly ways to travel, including using public transport, low emission vehicles, walking, cycling and scooting,” says Lekau.
High quality cycle routes Royal Greenwich is also working with TfL to install high quality cycle routes in the borough such as the Greenwich to Woolwich cycle route, and other strategic cycle routes, such as Eltham to Greenwich Park and Shooters Hill to Greenwich Park. “The routes will be designed in accordance with the latest guidance and, where appropriate, will include segregation from motor traffic,” says Lekau.
26 | PARKING REVIEW
Cllr Averil Lekau
We need to improve air quality and encourage more sustainable modes of transport to create a climate resistant transport network Averil Lekau
Free cycling training is available to all primary schools in the borough, and on request to adults, along with free maintenance courses. “We have to do whatever is necessary to help those people who don’t feel confident getting on a bike – and that tends to be women and especially women from black and ethnic minorities,” says Lekau. “And that means offering training and improving cycle routes. In some cases that will involve re-allocating road space and in other cases, where you have a wide pavement, reallocating space there.” She accepts that such measures will be opposed by some motorists. “Yes, we have to deal with some powerful lobbies, and that includes a very strong cyclists’ lobby by the way. But my view is you are never going to please everybody. For every person that’s really happy with what you’re doing there is another person or two who is not so happy. In the end it comes down to what you think is the right thing to do.”
Public health and transport Before taking on the climate change, environment and transport portfolio in 2022, Cllr Averil Lekau was the health and adult social care cabinet member. This, she says, has made her aware of the links between sustainable transport and public health. Lekau has been a councillor at the Royal Borough of Greenwich for the past 10 years, representing the Thamesmead Moorings Ward, in a range of senior positions including chair of the health and adult social care scrutiny panel, and cabinet lead for housing and anti-poverty. In May 2022 Anthony Okereke was elected leader of the Royal Borough and Averil Lekau became deputy leader.
PR377_P24-27_Greenwich.qxp_PR377_p24-27 06/12/2023 16:42 Page 27
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PR377_P28-29_London PCNs.qxp_PR377_p28-29 06/12/2023 16:40 Page 28
ENFORCEMENT Enforcement activity in London 2022-23 Enforcement authority
Bus lane PCNs
Moving traffic PCNs
London Lorry Control Scheme
Higher level parking PCNs
Lower level parking PCNs
Total parking PCNs
Barking & Dagenham
69,144
17,397
86,541
21,312
108,406
216,259
542
Barnet
87,528
22,813
110,341
20,192
73,855
204,388
115
Bexley
35,088
13,287
48,375
28,368
76,743
Brent
98,899
20,262
119,161
8,267
52,745
180,173
Bromley
41,315
30,709
72,024
10,590
30,460
113,074
Camden
124,222
66,910
191,132
3,719
89,209
284,060
931
City of London
38,597
16,566
55,163
50,210
105,373
11
Croydon
75,616
20,410
96,026
1,491
60,488
158,005
Ealing
65,647
16,481
82,128
28,914
112,520
223,562
22
Enfield
49,127
13,200
62,327
11,662
76,609
150,698
984
Greenwich
53,747
18,029
71,776
29,152
35,656
136,584
Hackney
67,295
10,693
77,988
4,316
178,513
260,817
Hammersmith & Fulham
90,584
24,402
114,986
13,776
202,969
331,731
794
Haringey
153,285
29,159
182,444
15,173
187,078
384,695
3,785
Harrow
67,932
24,115
92,047
7,530
59,484
159,061
Havering
62,984
39,027
102,011
10,812
41,788
154,611
Hillingdon
46,455
16,459
62,914
4,281
11,777
78,972
Hounslow
49,890
27,309
77,199
2,176
153,592
232,967
Islington
100,649
58,754
159,403
3,253
212,961
375,617
257
Kensington & Chelsea
104,047
84,694
188,741
11,537
200,278
1,729
Kingston
46,711
26,043
72,754
9,190
41,779
123,723
Lambeth
137,507
16,705
154,212
43,602
157,018
354,832
Lewisham
46,780
16,973
63,753
296
126,388
190,437
Merton
48,986
31,142
80,128
6,663
64,007
150,798
Newham
155,735
19,704
175,439
11,468
130,645
317,552
Redbridge
74,563
56,571
131,134
107,150
238,284
Richmond
80,718
31,632
112,350
2,532
27,353
142,235
Southwark
74,207
13,762
87,969
8,220
100,096
198,285
Sutton
31,966
5,302
37,268
396
22,325
59,989
Tower Hamlets
94,812
10,785
105,597
1,235
49,689
156,521
Transport for London
440,227
440,227
16,273
330,734
787,234
Waltham Forest
105,022
16,457
121,479
15,924
144,926
282,329
3,296
Wandsworth
94,712
10,563
105,275
936
38,666
144,877
69
Westminster
280,803
79,062
359,865
63,002
422,867
3,194,800
905,377
4,100,177
London Councils Lorry Control
Total
Operators 3,844
313,351
3,182,003
3,844
Drivers 500
500
Observations 11,714
11,714
Total PCNs
Vehicles clamped
Vehicles impounded
4,344
7,599,875
2,295
166
446
92
8,117
63 2,373
0
26,187
It’s penalty time Over 7.5 million parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalties issued in London
T
he number of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued in London is approaching 7.6 million a year, new figures reveal. London Councils has published data on parking enforcement and appeals in London for the 2022-23 financial year, ending on 31 March 2023. The figures reveal an increase in parking fines but drop in bus lane and moving traffic offences. The figures show that the London boroughs, London Lorry Control Scheme and Transport for London issued a total of 7,599,875 penalty charge notices to motorists who they believed had contravened parking, bus lane and moving traffic regulations. This represents an increase in PCNs issued of 1.7% from 2021-22. This was due to an increase in the number of parking PCNs issued of 5.7%, as the number of bus lane PCNs issued decreased by -7% and moving traffic PCNs fell by -2.12%. Parking and traffic management provide important benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and communities throughout London. These include maintaining road safety and access for Londoners to employment, goods, and services. London Councils, which is an association of all the capital’s
28 | PARKING REVIEW
boroughs, said: “Traffic rules and regulations also play a critical part in reducing congestion, improving air quality and helping to make London’s streets safer for everyone. Whilst it is a small minority of drivers who fail to follow the rules of the road, enforcement is necessary to encourage all motorists to drive and park in a considerate and safe manner.” If motorists believe they have received a PCN in error, they are encouraged to appeal to the authority that issued the penalty. If they are not satisfied with the outcome, they can further appeal to an adjudicator via the independent appeals service at London Tribunals. The total number of appeals received by London Tribunals in 2022-23 has decreased by -4.05% from 2021-22 levels to 43,196. The total percentage of appeals allowed has increased from 42.8% in 2021-22 to 44.5% (including London Lorry Control, but not Direct Vision Standards) in 2022-23. London Councils said: “Despite the small increase, figures continue to reflect efficient practices by authorities in considering representations more effectively before cases proceed to appeal, and improved enforcement operations. All surplus income from PCNs is put towards paying for the provision of essential traffic and parking services and invested in other important transport and mobility projects, such as the Freedom Pass concessionary travel scheme for older and disabled Londoners.”
PR377_P28-29_London PCNs.qxp_PR377_p28-29 06/12/2023 16:40 Page 29
ENFORCEMENT Parking and traffic appeal statistics 2022-23 (PCNs, clamp, remove) Enforcement authority Barking & Dagenham
Statutory declarations received
Appeals received
Total decisions
Appeals allowed
Appeals not contested
Appeals refused
Appeals refused with recommendation
Appeals withdrawn
Statutory declarations with directions
Invalid appeals
1,728
103
1,439
956
246
483
5
52
83
84
Barnet
704
26
587
258
82
329
3
23
28
22
Bexley
302
102
177
54
28
123
1
5
1
78
Brent
548
77
428
134
52
294
10
14
30
61
Bromley
393
106
251
87
41
164
2
6
85
91
Camden
1,484
334
1,003
325
138
678
12
38
119
263
City of London
499
3
425
307
70
118
0
12
30
1
Croydon
1,307
339
898
413
172
485
10
23
76
267
Ealing
1,292
179
1,045
486
335
559
3
66
86
120
Enfield
658
40
515
217
114
298
1
28
68
38
Greenwich
623
3
531
491
93
40
2
17
25
2
Hackney
1,244
240
912
245
106
667
3
47
78
171
Hammersmith & Fulham
870
308
537
243
174
294
4
45
44
265
Haringey
2,507
531
1,671
751
416
920
15
140
173
331
Harrow
659
0
525
193
94
332
7
14
39
0
Havering
991
22
806
461
270
345
7
28
47
19 7
Hillingdon
217
9
201
147
96
54
2
7
5
Hounslow
1,473
11
1,394
590
322
804
9
85
54
0
Islington
1,499
210
1,220
285
150
935
2
40
61
149
Kensington & Chelsea
445
131
281
151
117
130
0
12
28
93
Kingston upon Thames
322
0
288
126
54
162
3
13
12
0
Lambeth
2,854
209
2,305
1,147
793
1,158
11
89
148
171
Lewisham
53
1,117
63
864
266
135
598
7
72
52
London Councils
68
0
66
46
27
20
0
2
1
0
Merton
716
70
581
259
155
322
2
29
43
55
Newham
2,582
489
1,825
790
327
1,035
14
60
176
413
Redbridge
2,093
192
1,680
776
395
904
26
52
69
168
373
14
280
97
34
183
3
13
27
14
1,007
127
775
202
61
573
13
36
55
107
Sutton
195
34
150
36
11
114
4
7
7
29
Tower Hamlets
772
1
653
277
146
376
5
49
42
0
Transport for London
8,146
2,447
5,550
2,392
1,534
3,158
22
274
633
1,368
Waltham Forest
2,037
286
1,507
710
329
797
13
39
185
223
Wandsworth
369
67
251
92
38
159
3
5
24
57
Westminster
1,102
370
652
319
226
333
4
29
95
303
Totals
43,196
7,143
32,273
14,329
7,381
17,944
228
1,471
2,729
5,023
Richmond upon Thames Southwark
London Councils has just completed a consultation on suggested revisions to the cost of penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking and traffic contraventions on all roads controlled by boroughs in the capital, including the City of London. The local government association for Greater London pointed out that parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges have not been reviewed since 2010 and many of the charges have not changed since 2007. “The number of people receiving penalty charges has increased by 50% over the last 12 years and we are concerned that the current penalty levels are not set high enough to act as a deterrent,” said London Councils. “The impact of inflation on penalty levels has meant that there has been a reduction in the real value of penalty charges over time.” Local government, the mayor of London Sadiq Khan and central government all share the same aims to increase active travel, improve road safety and reduce emissions (both air quality and carbon), said the association. London Councils said: “Effective management of parking and traffic movement can contribute towards this.” The capital is split into roads controlled by London boroughs and those controlled by Transport for London (TfL). TfL has
Increasing the cost of breaking the rules London Councils plans to increase parking and traffic penalty charges similar responsibilities to London boroughs for setting penalty charges on their own roads – the Transport for London Route Network (TLRN), or Red Routes. In 2021 TfL increased parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on the roads it manages from £130 to £160. “Many parking, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions are dangerous and have impacts on the safety of other road
users, how they travel and access public transport services in London,” said London Councils. There were over 2,000 responses to the London Parking and Traffic Enforcement Penalty Charges Consultation. These are being reviewed and an analysis of the results will be considered by London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee on 7 December.
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LONDON LUTON AIRPORT
FIRE SAFETY
Drone footage of London Luton Airport’s Terminal Car Park 2 fire ravaged car park
Inferno engulfs car park
A
massive fire in a car park at London Luton Airport caused flights to be suspended and left the multistorey as write-off that needs to be demolished. Terminal Car Park 2 had a capacity for 1,900 vehicles and there were 1,200 in the car park at the time of the fire in October, most of these were damaged in the inferno. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service received calls to a fire involving a car on level three of the multi-storey car park at London Luton Airport at 8.47pm on 10 October. Fire crews were faced with a rapidly escalating fire and declared a major incident at 9.38pm. The fire rapidly spread through the structure and the severity of the fire caused significant structural collapse. Firefighting operations were undertaken to control the blaze and protect nearby buildings, vehicles, aircraft and the Luton DART, a driverless train linking the terminals to Luton Parkway station. At the fire’s peak there were 15 rescue pumps, three aerial appliances and over 100 firefighters on scene at this incident. Fire crews from Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, and London Fire Brigade helped tackle the blaze. Bedfordshire Police and East of England Ambulance also attended the incident. Two fire engines, an aerial platform and the incident command unit remained at the scene of the fire during the aftermath, their crews working with airport fire service to monitor hot spots. No serious injuries were reported. However, five people were treated for smoke inhalation and were later discharged. They included one member of airport staff and four firefighters. Following the blaze transport secretary Mark Harper tweeted his appreciation: “I’m thankful for the hard work of emergency services tackling the fire at Luton Airport last night and into the early hours of this morning.”
30 | PARKING REVIEW
Travel disruption London Luton is the UK’s fifth largest airport after Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, carrying more than 13 million passengers in 2022. Analysis by the Press Association indicated that around 25,000 airline passengers were impacted by cancellations and delays. Bedfordshire Police asked people not to travel to the area. Police officers directed people already at the airport away from the scene. Public transport running to the airport was cancelled and some roads in the immediate vicinity were closed. The airport brought in additional staff to provide assistance to passengers and said they should contact their airline for flight information. On the night of the fire the airport said: “All flights are currently suspended as emergency services respond to a car fire that has spread in Terminal Car Park 2. Access to the airport is currently restricted and we ask that people do not travel to the airport at this time.” By 1.15pm on Wednesday 11 October a London Luton Airport spokesperson said: “Following last night’s car fire in Terminal Car Park 2, emergency services have now down-grounded the incident but remain on the scene as a precaution. The teams have BEDFORDSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
London Luton Airport multi-storey car park destroyed in intense blaze
London Luton Airport’s Terminal Car Park 2 ablaze
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The burnt out car park
BEDFORDSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
FIRE SAFETY Terminal Car Park 1, to enable customers with cars parked in that structure to retrieve them without any delay. Many vehicles parked in the car park were destroyed by the flames, while others suffered catastrophic heat or smoke damage. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was unlikely that any of the cars would be salvageable. The airport provided the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) with the registration details of 1,405 vehicles. Luton Airport said that, along with its parking provider APCOA UK, it had responded to almost 16,500 customer queries since the fire. An Association of British Insurers (ABI) spokesperson said: “Insurers continue to do all they can to help their customers affected by the fire at Luton Airport. We’ve worked with the airport and fellow industry body the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to obtain and share the number plates of the vehicles in the car park, and our members are in contact with their customers. They’re doing all they can to pay any claims as quickly as possible. Many insurers have been covering the costs of their customers’ journeys home from the airport, and some have also said they will waive policy excesses or that claims from the fire will not impact no claims discounts.”
The search for causes Video footage published by national papers and released on social media showed what appears to be vehicles exploding as part of a parking deck collapses. In the immediate wake of the fire, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it believed the blaze was accidental and started in a vehicle. Andy Hopkinson, Bedfordshire’s chief fire officer, said the service had no intelligence to suggest it was anything other than an accidental fire. He said it was thought the fire started in “diesel-powered” car and then spread through the building. Hopkinson said that the car park’s open sides would have allowed the fire to spread “horizontally” before it went up through the building. The car park did not appear to have been equipped with sprinklers, according to the chief fire officer, who said a recommendation for sprinklers in any redevelopment would be made to the airport. Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service and Bedfordshire Police are conducting ongoing investigations into the fire. In later October Bedfordshire Police said it had arrested a man aged in his 30s on suspicion of criminal damage several days after the fire broke out. He has since been released on police bail pending further inquiries. A police statement said: “We are carrying out a thorough and diligent investigation into all potential lines of inquiry, as should be expected after such a major event.”
worked hard to get the airport operational, with the first passengers now re-entering the terminal and the first flights expected to depart from 3pm. For those arriving by car, the long and midstay car parks are fully operational, and a temporary drop-off area has been established in the mid-stay car park. For those travelling to the airport by rail, the DART shuttle remains out of service with replacement buses in operation. Additional staff remain on hand to assist passengers across the site.” The airport’s driverless shuttle link that carries passengers to the airport was suspended for several days. The Luton Direct AirRail Transit (DART) arrives at the airport through a 500-metre (1,604ft) tunnel, which runs close to the car park. The DART was undamaged, but safety concerns prompted the suspension of its services and the use of a replacement bus service was in place while the shuttle was closed. The DART reopened during the weekend after the fire forced the suspension of the service. The Unite trade union suspended planned industrial action by staff of the airport’s parking operator APCOA UK which had been due to tale place on Friday 13 October. The operator said: “APCOA appreciates Unite and its members acting so quickly in suspending their industrial action, so all our colleagues can support Luton Airport and its customers through this challenging period.”
Fate of the car park
After the fire
Cars fell through collapsed parking decks
BEDFORDSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
In the days after the fire some 100 cars were lifted from the top deck of the car park in order to stabilise the structure. A temporary exit ramp was created for the adjoining undamaged multi-storey,
The airport’s multi-storeys are relatively new, with construction of the Terminal Car Parks 1 and 2 being completed in 2019 as part of a wider modernisation programme across the airport. A London Luton Airport spokesperson told Parking Review: “Regrettably, due to the extent of the structural damage caused by the fire, Terminal Car Park 2 will be fully demolished. Work on the demolition will begin in the New Year and we will also commence the construction of the new car park in 2024.” The extent of the structural damage and the number of vehicles destroyed makes this the most destructive car park fire in the UK since the blaze that took place at King’s Dock in Liverpool on 31 December 2017.
Current parking at the airport London Luton Airport has been working to restore parking services that meet the needs of a range of passengers and airport users. Terminal Car Park 1, as well as the airport’s mid-stay and long-stay car parks are operating normally for customers who have pre-bookings. If travellers have pre-booked Priority Parking, Meet and Greet, or a third party meet & greet service, these are operating again from Terminal Car Park 1. The drop-off/pick-up zone is now operating out of the airport’s mid-stay car park. The mid-stay car park is a short walk to the terminal building and there is also a shuttle bus service operating between the car park and the terminal building.
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Presented by:
Organised by:
Supported by:
Car Parks 2024 is an event focused on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of parking structures. The day will offer topical presentations, expert panels and a chance to network with colleagues in an exhibition showcasing the latest systems and services.
CAR PARKS 2024 Thursday 14 March 2024 15 Hatfields, London SE1 Key themes At Car Parks 2024 expert panels will address key issues and answer questions on: l Car park design
Car parks are not just places to garage vehicles. They are dynamic spaces whose users are always on the move. They are important civic structures that support their local economy, open up destinations and provide space for a wide range of other services activities.
l Selecting structures
A new generation of public car parks is showing that multistoreys can be iconic gateways to town and city centres and act as catalysts for urban regeneration. The day will also showcase recent champion car parks from the British Parking Awards.
l Lighting, CCTV, ventilation and lifts
l Exterior design l Fire safety l Circulation and signage l Renovation and refurbishment l Managing car parks l Designing out crime l Electric vehicle charging
The day will showcase The Institution of Structural Engineers’ new book Car Park Design. The publication won the 'Special Jury Award' at the British Parking Awards 2023 as an exceptional entry that particularly impressed the jury, which is a panel of experts drawn from across the parking, automotive, transport and related sectors.
Who will be attending When attending Car Parks 2024 you will meet: l Car park operators and facility managers l Architects, engineers and consultants l Parking system providers l Mobility service operators l Electric vehicle infrastructure providers l Property developers l Real estate investors
Programme The conference will feature expert presentations and topical debates. If you have an idea for a talk contact the event’s programmer Mark Moran, Editor, Parking Review: mark.moran@landor.co.uk
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Exhibition Car Parks 2024 provides your company with the perfect opportunity to carefully target the marketing of your services to the car park design, construction and management sectors. To participate contact Jason Conboy: jason@landor.co.uk
PR377_P30-33_Fire.qxp_PR377_p30-33 06/12/2023 16:39 Page 33
BRITISH SPRINKLER ALLIANCE
FIRE SAFETY The BSA question why regulations do not call for sprinklers
Making the case for sprinklers The London Luton Airport car park is a final call for sprinklers, says Iain Cox
T
he fire that destroyed an unsprinklered airport terminal car park last month caused disruption to tens of thousands of passengers, left hundreds stranded at the airport, and impacted close to 1,500 cars. With significant fires in multi-storey car parks over the last five years, why are we not learning from these and looking to protect these buildings with sprinklers? The fire on 10 October at London Luton Airport’s Terminal Car Park 2 led to a “significant structural collapse” with up to 1,500 vehicles destroyed or damaged. Such was the intensity of the fire that broke out on level three, witnesses reported hearing significant bangs as tyres and car elements were overwhelmed by the heat. Fifteen fire engines and more than 100 firefighters from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and London fought the blaze. Flights were suspended until 3pm the following day, with hundreds of passengers stranded at the airport as their cars were trapped in the collapsed car park or an adjacent one. Surprisingly, shortly after the fire a spokesperson for the local council, which owns the airport, noted that they had “not seen this coming”. The challenge of fire is that it is not predictable. However, there have been several pointers to the potential scale of a fire. This catastrophic fire is not a one-off event as we have seen major fires in car parks on previous occasions. As recently as August, a blaze in a two-storey car park in Japan
spread to around 150 cars while on New Year’s Eve 2017, a fire at the Echo Arena multi-storey car park in Liverpool resulted in over 1,150 cars being destroyed. The car park had to be demolished. This led to alerts from several bodies as fires were noted in other territories in multi-storey car parks ranging from a shopping mall in Ireland, and to another airport car park in Norway. Many people are questioning the lack of sprinklers in the Luton Airport car park. The fact that the structure was relatively new, having been built in 2019 at a reported cost of £20m has also added to this. At the same time, unlike the Liverpool Arena fire, the fire at Luton Airport had a much more direct impact on people with what was estimated at 30,000 travellers affected in the immediate aftermath of the event. While there was speculation on the cause and the originating vehicle, the real focus of our attention should be how rapidly it spread amongst numerous vehicles of differing fuel sources as can be seen in early videos of the fires. In the absence of any other intervention fire will spread, and when the fire service arrive they are faced with a large fire, which is hard to stop. The scale of fire endangers surrounding buildings, and the collapsing construction can impact attached structures. The current regulatory guidance does not require sprinklers to be installed, but this is not keeping up with fire load of modern vehicles. The guidance can be traced back to fire tests and observations from the late 1960s and ‘70s. It foresaw the rise of plastic components but not their extent. It is a fact that the average car today has significant
amounts of plastics and other combustibles in their construction. In short, modern cars can burn very quickly producing much larger and hotter fires than was previously considered possible. In fact, government have known this from their own research carried out in the late 2000s. Whilst people can point to the rarity of fires in car parks, they remain a serious concern, as they can easily spread. This current devastating fire example is an airport car park but we must also consider that car parks are positioned below residential buildings, offices or adjacent to or on top of shopping centres. Though their construction may differ slightly, the fire risk is fundamentally the same across all types of car parks. Going forward, we need to question why regulations don’t call for sprinklers. Installing sprinkler systems is the most effective prevention method. Now is the time for a rethink to our approach in order to mitigate the impact of fire and safeguard these buildings and most importantly those living, working and enjoying spaces attached to them. Iain Cox is chair of Business Sprinkler Alliance The BSA was established in 2010 and is an alliance of fire safety professionals. The BSA’s founding members are the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, the European and National Fire Sprinkler Networks, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, commercial insurer FM Global, and the Fire Protection Association. www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org
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PARK & RIDE
Cardiff East
Parkways and walkways Rhodri Clark looks a series of railway stations to be built in South Wales
T
here’s a lot riding on the Welsh Government’s planned new railway stations in south-east Wales. Ministers controversially cancelled the £1.5bn M4 Relief Road scheme in 2019 after spending £114m developing it and buying land. A “network of alternatives” was proposed to take the sting out of frequent congestion on the existing M4 at Newport, sections of which have only two lanes per direction. A commission chaired by Lord Burns partially attributed the M4 overload to residents of suburban Newport and east Cardiff who have no realistic alternative to driving on the M4 to reach Cardiff, Newport and Bristol. Taking the train would involve driving to the city centre stations of Cardiff or Newport and spending much more time and money on the journey than simply driving all the way, for those fortunate enough to have a car available. The commission’s recommended network of alternatives centred on six new stations along the main line between Cardiff and Severn Tunnel Junction where residents could easily access the rail network. Building the stations is complex, involving repositioning track and overhead electricity cables at each site. However, that’s only half the battle. The stations will only be as good as the access to them, and Transport for Wales (TfW), the Welsh Government’s transport company, has developed comprehensive plans for people to reach the sites by bus, car, bike and on foot. King of the new park & rides will be Llanwern, on former steelworks land. It will feature 1,000 parking spaces. About 250 bays will be on a paved surface. The remainder will be on a gravelled area and intended for peak travel times, particularly when international matches or concerts are held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Many station users will live within walking and cycling distance, as thousands of new homes are being built in the vicinity.
34 | PARKING REVIEW
TfW’s consultation on five of the planned stations also reveals that Newport West station is expected to feature 250 parking spaces. There will be two access roads to the station, with “controls” to prevent people using these roads as a shortcut between the A48 and Lighthouse Road, south-west of the station. TfW has not yet determined the nature of the controls but says they could include physical measures and/or enforcement cameras. Somerton station, in Newport’s eastern suburbs, has been designed with 50 car parking spaces. TfW will make “passive provision” to add a further 50 spaces. At all three of these stations, 6% of parking spaces will be for Blue Badge holders and 10% for electric vehicle parking. TfW says there will be an option to add electric vehicle (EV) chargers to a further 10% of spaces. The other two stations TfW is promoting will both be “walkway” stations – a new name for stations which explicitly do not have car parking. The concept was originated by campaigners in the villages of Magor and Undy who wanted a new station and argued that the financial and environmental costs could be kept to a minimum by omitting car parking and making it easy for people to walk and cycle to the station. The name derives from “parkway” stations, which are pitched squarely at motorists. Coincidentally, Britain’s first such station was Bristol Parkway, just across the Severn Estuary from Magor and Undy Walkway.
Newport West
PR377_P34-35_P&R.qxp_PR377_p34-35 06/12/2023 16:37 Page 35
PARK & RIDE
Magor and Undy
Llanwern TfW says Magor and Undy will be a walkway station with a small area for cars to pick-up and drop-off. An artist’s impression also shows a handful of Blue Badge parking spaces. TfW is alert to potential complaints if the local road network becomes an unofficial park & ride, and says it will work with the local authority “to ensure commuters do not park in nearby streets”. It also says park & ride is available further east at Severn Tunnel Junction, currently the only station between Newport and the Severn Tunnel. Monmouthshire County Council is expanding car parking there, but the station’s narrow access road is a cause of friction because it passes through a village north of the railway. Train operator Grand Union Trains has promised to fund expansion of the station’s parking and facilities, and a new access road from the M4 south of the site, when it introduces trains between Carmarthen and London in the next few years. TfW also explains: “Cardiff East has been designed to be a walkway station, therefore no parking facilities are to be provided at this station.” There will be a pick-up and drop-off area for cars, but no Blue Badge spaces are proposed. Each of the new stations will feature cycle parking and e-bike charging facilities under a canopy, alongside rail ticket machines. The five stations are estimated to cost £250m to £300m. A sixth station, Cardiff Parkway, is promoted by property owners, with some financial support from the Welsh Government. It would be located near St Mellons, on the eastern fringe of Cardiff and almost at the halfway point of Cardiff and Newport. Parking for 650 vehicles is proposed, and the developers and
Somerton Welsh Government have assumed that Department for Transportsponsored Great Western Railway trains to and from London will stop at the station, although this would increase journey times from Swansea and Cardiff Central to London. The Welsh Government called in the Cardiff Parkway planning application on environmental grounds in 2022. A planning hearing was held in July 2023. Delivering a genuine “network of alternatives” requires close partnership working between the Welsh and UK governments. Rail infrastructure in Wales is not devolved, and the UK Government has funded development work on the five TfW-led stations through its Union Connectivity Review. The UCR’s report in 2021 recommended “speedily implementing” the measures identified by the Burns Commission. The cooperation will need to extend beyond the construction phase. A new Cardiff to Bristol train service, every 30 minutes, is proposed to stop at all of the new stations and existing stations between the Severn Tunnel and Bristol Temple Meads. This would improve access to employment in South Wales for residents of Bristol’s northern suburbs, as well as access to Filton Abbey Wood – a major employment area north of Bristol – for Newport and Cardiff residents. TfW also proposes that its hourly Cheltenham to Cardiff trains will stop at all five or six new stations, although this would extend end-to-end journey time by approximately 10 to 15 minutes. It proposes a second service on this corridor each hour, to give the new stations four trains per hour and extend the connectivity improvements to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Lydney and Chepstow.
PARKING REVIEW | 35
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PR377_P36-39_EV.qxp_PR377_p36-39 06/12/2023 16:35 Page 37
T
he electric vehicle sector emerged as a major beneficiary of UK government investment in this year’s Autumn Statement. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt earmarked £2bn for building electric cars in the UK in his latest update on the country’s finances to the House of Commons . The chancellor promised planning reforms to accelerate chargepoint infrastructure, speed up grid connections for clean energy and support for sustainable aviation. Hunt’s Autumn Statement set out the government’s tax and spending plans ahead of what is set to be an election year. The chancellor said his plan contains 110 measures aimed at boosting economic growth. The main emphasis of the statement was on measures that seek to encourage businesses to invest in the UK, which reward work, such as reducing National Insurance (NI) contributions, and a commitment to protect ‘triple lock’ on pensions. The chancellor presented his Autumn Statement as being focussed on boosting investment and rewarding work. He proclaimed: “Mr Speaker, the best universities, the cleverest scientists and the smartest entrepreneurs have given us Europe’s most innovative economy. We can be the most prosperous too.” The £2bn investment in EVs and energy sits within a £4.5bn manufacturing pot announced by Hunt, will be made available to support the manufacturing, supply chain and development of zero-emission vehicles. In parallel, the National Planning Policy Framework will be changed to prioritise EV chargepoint construction, and in addition, the sustainable aviation sector was further accelerated with a £975m sum to develop low and zero carbon technology. A further £960m is due to be provided for clean energy manufacturing initiatives. Also in terms of energy, there has been an acceptance of the Winser Review’s recommendations to improve grid connections. In the automotive space the government is also extending to 2030 a £150m programme researching self-driving vehicles, with pilot schemes operating across the country. In terms of other expenditure, the Autumn Statement reaffirmed commitments made last autumn to provide £14.1bn for the NHS and adult social care in England, as well as an extra £2bn for schools, in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will get equivalent funding. Defence spending will remain at 2% of national income, which is a NATO commitment. Overseas aid spending was kept at 0.5% of national income, below the official 0.7% target. In a sign that the chancellor did not want to be seen tapping consumers’ pockets the chancellor did little to affect change to the cost motoring. Hunt announced a 5p per litre cut for 12 months in March and as fuel duty was not mentioned, duty remains at 52.95p per litre for petrol and diesel.
UK PARLIAMENT
EVOLUTION Jeremy Hunt MP
Electric vehicle transition receives £2bn boost Chancellor offers financial support for automotive sector and planning reforms to enable new energy infrastructure
Electric cars and energy Powering the electric economy Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he had worked with business and trade secretary Kemi Badenock and energy security secretary Claire Coutinho to make £4.5bn available over the five years to 2030 to attract investment into strategic sectors. This includes support of £2bn for zeroemission investments in the automotive sector; £975m for aerospace; and £520m for life sciences. The chancellor unveiled a number of supply-side measures and funding packages designed to benefit businesses and local communities. There will be £960m earmarked for the Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support clean energy, with a focus on offshore wind, electricity networks, nuclear, hydrogen, and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS). Hunt said: “These targeted investments will ensure the UK remains competitive in sectors where we are already leaders and
‘A vote of confidence’ Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) welcomed the Autumn Statement, as an “unequivocal vote of confidence” in the automotive sector, saying it complemented a recent announcement of £2bn for zeroemission advanced vehicle manufacturing. Hawes said: “The chancellor’s statement, with its focus on business growth, responds to our industry’s need for measures that allow UK automotive to compete for investment. The attractiveness of the UK will be bolstered by permanent
innovative in areas where we are not. Taken together across our fastest-growing innovation sectors, this support alone will attract an estimated £2bn of additional investment every year over the next decade.” The chancellor said he wanted to make it easier to create a better electricity grid. The government has published its response to the Winser Review and Connections Action Plan, which will cut grid access times for larger projects by half and halve the time to build major grid upgrades. “It is taking too long for clean energy businesses to access the electricity grid,” said Hunt. “So, after talking to businesses such as National Grid, Octopus Energy and SSE, we publish our full response to the Winser review and Connections Action Plan. These measures will cut grid access delays by 90% and offer up to £10,000 off electricity bills over 10 years for those living closest to new transmission infrastructure. Taken together these planning and grid reforms are estimated to accelerate around £90bn of additional business investment over the next 10 years.” full expensing and, given the importance of decarbonising the market and manufacturing, speeding up grid access. “The UK proposition is enhanced by these measures but it is equally important that they can be accessed. The implementation of the Harrington Review on foreign direct investment must help simplify and speed up the process. We now look forward to the government’s advanced manufacturing plan, its battery strategy and how it will support consumers in making the switch to zeroemission motoring as we must not only make these vehicles locally but sell them.”
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L
ocal transport authorities will have to produce local electric vehicle charging strategies and ensure provision of chargepoints. This commitment appears in the Department for Transport’s response to its consultation on the future of transport regulation. When parliamentary time allows, the department intends to take powers to issue directions to authorities to produce local charging strategies if they have not done so as part of local transport plans. The Department for Transport (DfT) will also continue to monitor and evaluate the roll-out of charging infrastructure in existing nonresidential car parks, reviewing powers if market pace is deemed insufficient. The department said will consider further consultation focussed on lease interactions if powers are pursued. The department has also stated that the Rapid Charging Fund will be used to support sites with open-access charging and competition on site. New regulations to improve consumer experience at public chargepoints were passed in Parliament on 24 October 2023. In addition, The DfT will seek to encourage best practice and continue to monitor progress in this area through ongoing engagement with industry, working with the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to enforce the regulations and other non-legislative means. The Future of Transport Regulatory Review consultation, which ran from 28 September to 22 November 2021, received 234 responses. It sought views on areas of transport regulation that are outdated, a barrier to innovation or not designed with new technologies and business models in mind. Zero-emission vehicles were one of the priority areas of the Future of Transport regulatory review alongside: maritime autonomy and remote operations; the future of flight; regulatory ‘sandboxes’; and modernising vehicle standards.
Key findings The government response to the Future of Transport Regulatory Review sets out these key findings and actions regarding zero-emission vehicles. Statutory obligation to plan for and deliver charging infrastructure There was overwhelming support for a body or group of bodies to be responsible for planning of and ensuring provision of chargepoints. There was also widespread support for that group of bodies to be local authorities. Next steps: Government will look to update Local Transport Plans (LTPs) to include the need for local transport authorities to produce local electric vehicle charging strategies and ensure provision of chargepoints. When parliamentary time allows, it intends to take powers to issue directions to local transport authorities to produce charging strategies if they have not done so as part of LTPs. Chargepoints in non-residential car parks There was majority support for government to take powers for minimum requirements to
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RED DOT/UNSPLASH
EVOLUTION Zero-emission vehicles were one of the priority areas of the Future of Transport
Planning the future Local authorities will have to develop chargepoint strategies and operators provide open access, says Department for Transport install chargepoints in nonresidential car parks. There was also majority support for these requirements to apply to publicly and non-publicly accessible car parks, and for the responsibility of charging infrastructure provision to be placed on the landowner of the car park. Next steps: The government will continue to monitor and evaluate the roll-out of charging infrastructure in existing non-residential car parks. The above powers to issue directions to local transport authorities will capture local authority owned car parks, supporting chargepoint installation in those locations. In other areas, the government expects the market will continue to provide the necessary car park charging network without government intervention. Many non-residential car parks are located on leased or rented land. Minimum requirements would affect different leases in different ways. Government has recently launched a review of the landlord and tenant relationship and the legislation surrounding it, which will support ongoing policy development in this area. It will also consider launching another public consultation, specifically focussing on how different leases would be affected by a minimum requirement should one be mandated in the future, as well as responsibilities for chargepoint installations. Should the rate of chargepoint installation in non-residential car parks be insufficient, the government will reconsider legislative powers in this area. Any powers sought would be a backstop to provide certainty and allow specific future regulations if required. Regulations and exemptions would be tailored and limited. Government will continue to work with key industry stakeholders to develop policy.
Making and delivering the Rapid Charging Fund A majority of respondents were in favour of government mandating competition between chargepoint operators (CPOs) at motorway service areas (MSAs) and large A road sites. The majority supported government having the powers to ensure that chargepoints at MSAs and large A road sites are open access. Next steps: The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will be used to support sites with open access charging and competition on site. Government may develop secondary legislation under the Automated Electric Vehicle Act (2018) to mandate provision of chargepoints at strategically important sites. Government will not seek new powers in this area. Improving the experience for EV consumers There was near-universal support for the principle of introducing minimum requirements for consumer protections and inclusive chargepoint design. There was significant minority of responses suggested that legislating in these areas in the immediate term would be premature. Next steps: The government will seek to encourage best practice in these areas through non-legislative means and continue to monitor progress. The recently laid Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 focus on improving the consumer experience by setting out requirements for CPOs to meet reliability standards; simplify payments including enabling payment roaming and communicating the price of charging clearly to consumers; and opening up chargepoint data.
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EVOLUTION
A slower path to zero-emission motoring ZEV Mandate pushes end of new diesel and petrol cars to 2035 The UK government has set out the percentage of new zero-emission cars manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030, following prime minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to delay the ban on new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035. With transport providing the largest share of the UK’s carbon emissions, it is widely accepted that a switch to zero-emission cars and vans will be the single biggest carbon saving measure in the UK’s journey to net zero. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate unveiled by the Department for Transport (DfT) sets the regulatory framework for the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The mandate requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zeroemission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035. The DfT argues that the 2035 end-of-sale date puts the UK in line with other global economies, including France, Germany, Sweden and Canada. The department said the UK government’s new approach will provide certainty for car manufacturers and help families make the switch to electric by providing more time for the secondhand EV market to grow and for charging infrastructure to roll-out more widely across the country.
The ZEV Mandate has been developed with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure. The department says the UK is on track to meet the government’s target of 300,000 chargepoints by 2030. Transport secretary Mark Harper said: “Our mandate provides certainty for manufacturers, benefits drivers by providing more options, and helps grow the economy by creating skilled jobs. We are also making it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle, from reaching record levels of chargepoints to providing tax relief for EV owners.” Applications also opened for the first round of the government’s £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund which will support the installation of new chargers across the country. This is on
top of some £6bn of funding in new infrastructure committed by chargepoint providers. The mandate sets minimum annual targets, starting with a requirement for 22% of new cars sold in 2024 to be zero-emission, as originally proposed. This will rise each year up to 100% by 2035, although some manufacturers already plan to reach 100% sooner. Reacting to the government’s ZEV mandate update, Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), said: “With less than 100 days to go, manufacturers finally have clarity on what they are required to sell next year and up to 2030. The industry is investing billions in decarbonisation and recognises the importance of this mechanism as the single most important measure to deliver net zero. Delivering the mandate will challenge the industry, despite the
New EV chargepoint regulations approved New regulations covering electric vehicle infrastructure have been approved by MPs. The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, passed by Parliament on 24 October, aim to ensure that prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare and that a large proportion of new public chargepoints have contactless payment options. Chargepoint providers will also be required to open up their data, so drivers can easily find an available chargepoint that meets their needs. It will open up data for apps, online maps and in-vehicle software, making it easier for drivers to locate chargepoints, check their charging speeds and determine whether they are working and available for use. Once the regulations come into force, drivers will also be able to contact free 24/7 helplines for any issues accessing charging
on public roads. Chargepoint operators will also have to open up chargepoint data, making it easier to find available chargers. The regulations follow the government’s recent announcement of a range of measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints through its Plan for Drivers. This includes reviewing the grid connections process for installation and extending chargepoint grants for schools.
flexibilities now included to support pragmatic, equitable delivery given this diverse sector.” ChargeUK, the body representing UK chargepoint providers, welcomed the mandate. It said: “ChargeUK supports a strong ZEV mandate that provides the confidence to continue to invest in deploying EV charging infrastructure at an unprecedented rate. We are turning on a new public charger every 20 minutes, making the UK the best place in the world to drive and charge an EV. “We are working with government and others to deploy even faster and we welcome the commitment to reform grid connections to enable us to get new chargers in the ground ever more quickly. The prime minister also committed to speeding up planning processes for the biggest net zero projects and it is essential this includes EV charging infrastructure.”
The government is supporting the rollout of charging infrastructure in local areas. Applications are currently open to local authorities in the first round of the £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which will deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. In addition, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is open to all UK local authorities. James Court, chief executive of the Electric Vehicle Association England, said: “Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, plus the potentially gamechanging opportunities of open data are all a major step forward for EV drivers and should make the UK one of the best places to charge in the world. As the roll-out of charging infrastructure gathers momentum, these regulations will ensure quality and help put consumers needs at the heart of this transition.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Helping EV drivers find available chargers Connected Kerb taps into parking data from AppyWay Connected Kerb’s charging solution will be enhanced with real-time bay occupancy and insights from AppyWay’s Parking Platform. The combined solution will enable local authorities to create, monitor and monetise electric vehicle (EV) charging bays by providing them with the real-time insights and historical data Parking and kerbside management company AppyWay has agreed a strategic partnership with Connected Kerb, a provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The partnership will see the integration of AppyWay’s Parking Platform and Connected Kerb’s charging infrastructure into a single ecosystem that allows drivers
to locate available electric vehicle charging bays. The integrated solution is already being used by Coventry City Council. The companies say the combined solution will enable local authorities to create, monitor and monetise EV charging bays by providing them with the real-time insights and historical data needed to scale their charging infrastructure roll-out. Dan Hubert, founder and chief executive of AppyWay, said: “Teaming up with Connected Kerb marks another significant milestone in our mission to help cities decarbonise through innovative technology. The UK is at a pivotal moment in its EV chargepoint rollout and it’s the decisions that are made today that will impact whether local governments meet their infrastructure
targets by 2035. “Partnerships such as this are crucial in understanding charging demand and planning rollout in a scalable manner. By integrating the Parking Platform with Connected Kerb’s charging solutions, we’re making electric vehicle charging and parking a hassle-free experience for everyone, drivers and local authorities alike.” Connected Kerb’s head of digital, Ben Boutcher-West, said: “Our collaboration with AppyWay is a pivotal moment in making electric vehicle charging infrastructure reliable, inclusive and convenient for everyone. Together, we are poised to deliver a hasslefree charging experience for drivers and make it easy for councils to manage and monitor charging infrastructure, while also putting our planet first.”
Pozitive Energy teams up with Landis+Gyr A new partnership aims to rollout of 30,000 chargepoints across the UK over the next five years. London-based utility company Pozitive Energy has joined forces with Swiss energy management solutions provider Landis+Gyr to offer an end-to-end EV charging service. The partnership will offer British businesses full installation and management of Landis+Gyr’s electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, fixed national pricing, ‘tap and go’ payment processes and the ability to either earn revenues or offset energy bills from chargepoint use. Nathan Daniels, head of electric vehicles at Pozitive Energy, said: “Our partnership
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A Pozitive Energy chargepoint with Landis+Gyr represents the largest advancement in the UK’s EV market in decades, and will see us together, driving forward Britain’s ability to reach its net zero and low carbon targets. “For too long, the country’s EV charging infrastructure has presented a barrier to
consumer adoption. Working with Landis+Gyr to develop this unique approach to EV charging will see UK businesses gain access to revenue generating chargepoints, while also offering drivers access to a much more robust and easier to use charging network thus benefitting us all in an
expanding EV infrastructure.” Once deployment has been completed, the partnership will see Pozitive Energy provide the largest network of EV chargers in the UK. Rob Harper, director of sales, UK & Ireland, Landis+Gyr, said: “This partnership provides business customers with a unique no-regrets decision to boost the growth of a muchneeded EV charging infrastructure. The installation of Landis+Gyr chargers and all supporting contactless payment terminals means that drivers can pay without the need for a mobile application. “The deployment of the EV chargers is being managed by both company’s advanced IT capabilities. We are looking forward to watching the growth of the network as we look to manage energy better.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Letting electric vans pre-book delivery slots Grid Smarter Cities trials bookable slots for electric delivery vehicles Freight companies using zeroemission vehicles can now book delivery slots at electric vehicle charging bays in central London. Westminster City Council has appointed technology solutions provider Grid Smarter Cities to implement a scheme designed to better manage the access and dwell times of freight operators. Grid Smarter Cities has deployed two EV bookable loading bays situated in densely populated office and retail areas, which have previously been identified as key delivery hot spots. Using Grid’s Kerb Platform, the bays can be booked in advance by freight operators using an electric van via an app and online platform. This enables a delivery to be completed on foot or by cargo bike. Grid’s booking platform allows freight operators to book loading bays in advance, in slots ranging from 30 to 90 minutes duration to encourage onward delivery completion by foot or cargo bike.
Only pre-registered delivery operators can use the bays. The initiative was launched in October and is running for an initial period of 18 months. Westminster Council is funding the project with Grid Smarter Cities providing the booking platform, two on-street e-ink signs, driver app and powering technology. Both bays will be experimental traffic orders. Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, cabinet member for city management and air quality at Westminster City Council, said:
“Westminster City Council is absolutely committed to expanding and improving green transport infrastructure, and we’re very excited to launch this new initiative with Grid Smarter Cities to support electric freight distribution vehicles in Westminster. This is just one of the ways we’re working with our partners to develop innovative solutions that keep our city moving, while at the same time reducing carbon emissions and cleaning up air quality.” The pilot supports the aims
of the Westminster City Council Freight, Servicing and Deliveries Strategy and Action Plan 2020– 2040, which includes proactive kerbside management as one of nine strategic actions. Ambitions in the plan are effective use of on-street loading and unloading bays throughout the 24-hour period to reduce commercial vehicle movements. Neil Herron, chief executive and founder of Grid Smarter Cities, said: ‘’We are excited that Westminster is deploying Grid Smarter Cities’ Kerb Platform to help unlock the benefits of the kerb to support efficiencies for commercial freight operators, while helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality. “This is a monumental leap forward for councils, enabling the use of technology to dynamically monitor and manage loading bay activity and access within our urban spaces. Kerb gives authorities visibility of micro kerbside behaviour and transactions for the first time, providing key data and analytics for future city prioritisation and improved permissions for operators.”
Connecting parking and electric vehicle charging payments Parking technology company Sagoss has launched a solution for car park operators keen to provide a seamless payment experience for both parking and electric vehicle charging. Upon parking and connecting to the charger, drivers will proceed to a payment kiosk, input their vehicle registration mark (VRM), select their charging bay, and initiate the charging session via an intuitive touchscreen interface. To conclude their parking session, drivers will return to any of the payment kiosks, input their VRM, and be provided with an itemised invoice for both parking and EV charging. A single transaction covers both costs, and upon payment, the driver can proceed to the exit where the barrier will lift automatically. The solution has been made possible through a strategic partnership and integration with Connected Kerb, an electric vehicle (EV) solution provider. “This user-friendly service necessitates minimal additional steps compared to traditional ‘parking-only’ and ‘chargingonly’ payment options,” said Alexander Sherlock, head of brand and marketing at Sagoss. “Our collaboration with Connected Kerb underscores Sagoss’s commitment to fostering innovative solutions by aligning with industry leaders.” Sagoss’s system has been designed to be
The new Sagoss terminal accepts parking and EC charging payments compatible with major EV charging protocols – OCPI and OCPP – to ensure interoperability with a broad spectrum of EV charging infrastructures. The solution can be adapted for use in both barrier-controlled car parks and barrier-free premises. Throughout the charging session, the charging unit securely locks the cable, releasing it post-payment. An alternative configuration allows operators to manage multiple EV charging stations through a single payment unit. The combined parking and EV payment
service is making its debut at Riverside Sunderland multi-storey, recently named Best New Car Park at the British Parking Awards. A council spokesperson said: “Sunderland City Council are looking forward to the launch of this advanced development to its existing innovative service within the Riverside car park, offering customers enhanced smarter payment options when they park.” Additional installations are in the pipeline.
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TECHNOLOGY
Paythru launches contactless payment solution E-mobility kiosk can be used at sites with multiple chargepoints Cashless payment specialist Paythru has launched Paythru Contactless, a contactless payment solution for electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint providers. The forthcoming Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 will mandate that all public chargepoints above 8kW must enable users to pay by contactless. This will require many older chargepoints to add contactless payments within a year of the legislation coming into force. Paythru Contactless is designed to offer a ‘one-to-many’ approach, allowing multiple chargers to be connected, via the Paythru cloud, to a contactless payment terminal. The first application of Paythru Contactless is a suite of ‘e-mobility kiosks’, developed in collaboration with Bright.Green, that can be deployed on sites with multiple chargers. The kiosks are similar to parking payment terminals. Users park their car, walk to the kiosk, select their charger, and start the charge. This solves an immediate problem for chargepoints without contactless read-
Bright.Green have designed the Paythru Cashless kiosk ers, which includes 59% of rapid chargers. Instead of expensive electrical retrofitting of contactless readers, they can connect into the Paythru cloud using standard EV charging communication protocols (OCPP, OCPI), and offer contactless payments at the e-mobility kiosk. As well as contactless, the terminals support RFID tokens, such as those used by fleet charging schemes, and allow Chip & PIN payments, which some contactless users are required to make from time to time. “By providing multiple payment and user experience options,” said Sara Sloman, chief strategy officer at Paythru, “we are ensuring charging is acces-
sible to everyone.” The kiosk can be modified to meet an operator’s needs, including offering payments for other services, parking only prices, and loyalty and reward schemes. Receipts are accessible through scanning a QR code or providing a mobile number. And drivers can monitor their charging session on their phone by scanning the QR code on the kiosk screen. The presence of a physical kiosk with a digital display also offers other benefits to chargepoint operators, said Sloman. The display can generate revenue from advertising, provide local information, or interactive surveys to gather feedback. The system has been designed
Compleo unveils eTower 200 chargepoint
Compleo Charging Solutions UK, a provider of EV charging systems, has launched the High Power Charger (HPC) eTower 200. Designed and manufactured in Germany, the eTower features modular power distribution and distinctive lighting design. Compleo has adopted a ‘single point of service’ approach that enables two vehicles to charge simultaneously at high-speed.
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The eTower 200’s modular technology enables rapid charging, dynamically distributing power based on seven independent power modules. Each module delivers up to 920 Volts and 72 Amps, ensuring electric vehicles charge quickly. Standby power consumption is minimised by shutting down power modules in standby mode.
to offer ‘Incremental Authorisation’ which dynamically secures funds throughout the charging session, rather than blocking large ‘pre-authorisation’ amounts upfront which sometimes take days to be returned, and are an increasing source of user frustration. Sloman said: “The intricate and costly retrofitting of contactless card readers to every individual chargepoint is going to be really hard and expensive. But the new legalisation makes it clear that it has to happen. “We now have a far more elegant solution, made possible by our sophisticated payment technology and Bright.Green’s deep experience in unattended retail.”
The eTower 200 can be placed directly in front of walls, leading to an even more efficient use of space. Compleo said this opens a wider range of location possibilities and maximises flexibility in installation. Its low height also means the eTower can be installed in places with limited ceiling height such as multi-storey car parks. Utilising compact 29kW modules, the charging station automatically allocates available power, enabling both vehicles to consistently maximize their full power potential. This results in a potential increase in energy sales of up to 35MWh per year for operators, said Compleo. In case of a service call, a robust redundancy system ensures uninterrupted operation. Even if one power module switches to service mode, the performance of all other modules remains unaffected, ensuring a continuous power supply. The process of replacing, upgrading, or maintaining the modules does not necessitate the use of cranes or heavy equipment. Valentin Scheltow, Compleo vicepresident for sales, said: “With the eTower, we aim to revolutionize fast charging for electric vehicles, demonstrating the superiority of e-mobility.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Lotus develops EV charging systems Luxury car maker develops range of branded chargepoints Luxury car maker Lotus is developing its own range of electric vehicle charging solutions as part of its journey to becoming all-electric by 2028. Lotus’ new charging offerings are now available in China and expected to be rolled out in majority of European countries and the Middle East in Quarter 2 of 2024. Charging anxiety remains one of the main barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with nearly 80% of the public citing the lack of charging infrastructure as a primary reason for not buying an EV, according to a survey conducted by the Energy Policy Institute. In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a British sports car maker to an all-electric global luxury technology brand by 2028. As part of this transition, the company is committed to developing its own range of EV charging solutions. As charging infrastructure improves over time, Lotus wants to ensure its customers are equipped by providing a 450kW solution. The EV charging solutions including an ultra-fast 450kW DC charger, power cabinet and a modular unit for charg-
The Lotus EV chargers can be linked to battery storage units ing up to four vehicles at once. Lotus is using liquid-cooled technologies throughout its suite of commercial charging solutions to make it easier and quicker for EV drivers to charge their vehicles. The new suite of EV charging solutions designed for businesses includes: • Liquid-Cooled All-in-One DC Charger: A new charger, which offers ultra-fast charging of up to 450kW. For example, with the Lotus Eletre R, it can add up to 88.5 miles or 142km of range with approximately 5-minutes of charge. A 10% to 80% charge can be achieved in just 20 minutes with a range extension of 74 miles or 120 kilometres from a 5-minute charge when using a 350kW Rapid Charger. • Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet: A modular power cabinet that
is suited for spaces that require high energy in order to increase efficiency and minimise charging time, such as motorway rest stops. It offers market-leading power output capabilities of up to 480kW. • Liquid-Cooled Charging Unit: A charging terminal, which when used with the Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet, can charge up to four vehicles at once. The unit has a maximum current output of 600 Amp to cover a range of user needs. For instance, if a driver need a short top-up whilst on the go, or fast-charge for long distance drives, Lotus’ new offering provides a convenient solution. Mike Johnstone, chief commercial officer at Lotus Group, said: “Over the past six years, Lotus
has been investing in the technology and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to electrification. We want to make it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle and with our latest offerings, Lotus is able to provide customers with the confidence to access easy, fast, and efficient charging.” Alan Wang, vice president of Lotus Technology and chief executive at Lotus Flash Charge, said: “As more governments are increasing investment into electrification in their journey to net-zero, the demand for a reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure has never been higher than before. Lotus has developed best-in-class fast charging solutions to deliver a quick and reliable charging experience to meet customer needs.”
Search API, Plan API and Pay API
These capabilities include Opening up the chargepoint network respectively. showing chargepoint locations across the
Zapmap Spark service will support organisations transition to EVs Chargepoint data platform Zapmap has launched a new API (application programming interface) product suite to support organisations in their transition to the use of electric vehicles (EVs) by making it easier for drivers to find and pay for charging. The new offering, Zapmap Spark, enables companies to provide a suite of EVcentric features within their own digital estate through a single integration. By integrating with Zapmap Spark businesses will gain access to Zapmap’s dataset. This means partners will be able to provide their app users with data access to over 95% of UK public charging points, the vast majority of which display live availability status on a 24/7 basis. In addition to chargepoint data, the Spark platform offers organisations the ability to
provide both EV route planning and crossnetwork digital payments in their own app. Richard Bourne, chief executive of Zapmap, said: “This brand new offering from Zapmap means that third-party digital platforms and apps can now provide market-leading EV services through a simple integration. “Zapmap was founded in 2014 with a mission to make EV charging simple, wherever you go. With the UK’s shift to electric vehicles well underway, and the needs of EV drivers evolving, it’s up to industry leaders like Zapmap to respond to what drivers really need as the market grows. This is why we came to develop Zapmap Spark, which is all about making it easier for organisations to offer their customers a robust set of tools for electric vehicle drivers, all from within their own digital estate.” The in-app capabilities from Zapmap Spark are accessed via a suite of APIs: the
country, EV route planning, and digital payments for charging sessions. Charging costs will generally be added to a customer’s account with the respective company, and will not require any customer payment details. This feature eliminates the need for multiple accounts or payment methods, simplifying the billing process and making EV driving more accessible than ever. Harrison Brook, head of partnerships at Zapmap, said: “By combining Zapmap’s industry-leading platform with the extensive networks and commitment of other organisations across the UK, we’re not only enhancing the charging experience for drivers, but also fostering a stronger EV community. Launching Zapmap Spark is a clear example of our ambition to foster a seamless public charging experience for electric car drivers, whether it be in our app, or our partners’ digital products.”
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Showcasing excellence, celebrating success
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PARKING LIVES
Kingaby of car parks
PARKINGReview Souven Issue 269 ir issue | Septem | 2000-20 ber 2014 14
www.pissedagain.co.uk
5x Man about town
The latest fashions modelled by Nat and Frank
Frank Kingaby: Playful at work
Remembering Frank Kingaby, Parking Review’s legendary and much missed sales manager
A
gentleman. That one word sums up Frank Kingaby, former sales manager of Parking Review, who has sadly passed away. Frank was a valued member of the Landor LINKS team and a much admired part of the parking scene. Following its launch in 1989, Parking Review experienced a rapid growth in its profile and reach under the commercial stewardship of pioneering sales manager John French. After a decade’s hard work, John decided to step back and hand the steering wheel to new hands. So good had John’s work been that the magazine’s publisher, Landor LINKS, realised it needed two people to fill his shoes. This saw Frank become the London, South East and International sales manager for Parking Review in 2000, while Dennis Wills was appointed to look after the Midlands, North and Scotland. Both salesmen were freelancers who had a long association with Landor. Dennis has worked with the company publishing magazines for the disabled motoring sector, while Frank was a lead sales person on a range of travel, tourism and related projects. The pair immediately bonded and became well known double act on the parking circuit, attending conferences, exhibitions and dinners as representatives of the magazine and its growing catalogue of spin-off publications, events and new fangled online activities. Frank and Dennis were always on call, and their commitment to work was evident at Parkex and Intertraffic Amsterdam, where they
insisted on having sales meetings… even if this involved the discomfort of comparing notes in the corner of a noisy and crowded bar. When Dennis retired, Frank formed a fruitful partnership with a new sales colleague, Tracey Hawley that lasted until he too decided to hang up his sales boots in 2014. Beyond the world of parking, Frank remained active in the travel and leisure sector, and his ease networking in this world came into play when he became sales manager on Cinema Business. This monthly magazine soon became essential reading for the cinema manager, movie distribution and film festival sector, especially during a period of transition from celluloid to digital distribution. The magazine ran until 2008 when its principal funder, the UK Film Council, was wound up. But we still had parking. Outside work Frank was a man for whom family came first, with his devotion to his wife Linda and their children being evident in his desire to get home as soon as possible, even when work often took him to many exciting and glamorous locations (well, conference centres in glamorous and exciting locations). Coming a close second to family was his beloved Tottenham Hotspur. A talented footballer in his youth, Frank remained an enthusiastic Sunday league player, and found time to develop a good golf game and even invest in a racehorse – though he explained he probably only owned one leg of Mogok Ruby! In recent years Frank was affected by Parkinson’s Alzheimers, but right up until the end he was the centre of his family’s world and we his… Frank’s personalised cover of Parking Review, produced for his retirement, was by his bedside right up until the end. Mark Moran, Editor
5x The original Madmen
Kingaby & Wills – we’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse
5x Strictly parking Frank and Tracy make an exhibition of themselves
5x The last laugh Hic! In my condition, frankly, I don’t gave a damn
KING OF CAR PARKS
Advertising legend Kingaby sells final space for £1,000,000*
*Is this correct? Ed
Farewell Frank Frank was a star player for ‘Team Landor’. He made us laugh. He kept our feet on the ground. He constantly reminded us the most important thing in life, and certainly in his life, is family. Rod Fletcher, managing director, Landor LINKS Frank was an absolute pleasure to work with – always organised, tenacious, conscientious and cheerful. He was hardworking but knew how to unwind. Frank was very agreeable company whenever we went on work trips around the UK and beyond. I picture him now, sat at a bar, head tilted back and laughing. Deniz Huseyin, deputy editor, Parking Review Frank was a smashing colleague and lots of fun. It was always going to be a brilliant event when you saw him walking through the door. Nat Lancaster, former project manager, Parking Review and Landor LINKS
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Free Site Surveys Waterproof Coatings Movement Joints
www.orbility.com
Car Park Equipment Manufacturer Ticketed & Ticketless Systems ANPR & Prebook Mobile & Contactless Payment Multichannel Support Flexible Finance Options
Orbility Limited Unit 6 Mitchell Way, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO3 5PR
46 | PARKING REVIEW
Info.uk@orbility.com P +44 (0) 2392 414 423
Corrosion Mitigation Concrete Repairs Anti-Carbonation Coatings
Structural Repair and Protection For more information visit:
www.structurecare.com
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SERVICES DIRECTORY PARKING SERVICES
The Leading Independent Consultancy for all your parking solu琀ons Established in 1991, with over 230 sa琀s昀ed customers comprising both public and private sector (including Local Authority and Health and Educa琀on establishments). Quality parking solu琀ons provided by our experienced in house specialists: GIS mapping and surveying • MTO site surveys and digi琀sing. • On street TRO signs and lines: legality and condi琀on surveys (sample surveys also available). • GIS mapping of TRO surveys, produc琀on of digital maps and TRO management for Order wri琀ng, upda琀ng and consolida琀on. • Data extrac琀on and conversion of text based schedules to digi琀sed map based solu琀ons. • Length of stay, usage, and occupancy parking surveys, both on and o昀 street. • Compliance surveys and data analysis. • Surveying and mapping of infrastructure assets.
CONSULTANCY SERVICES
Consultancy services • Financial appraisal and e ciency reviews of parking service provision. • Collabora琀ve working – joint no琀ce processing and shared enforcement. • On and O昀 street tra c regula琀on order wri琀ng. • DPE and CPE feasibility studies and implementa琀on. • Tari昀 reviews. • DPE/CPE services speci昀ca琀on wri琀ng and tender evalua琀on.
Contact: Peter Lowe B.Eng., C.Eng., M.I.C.E., FBPA Tel: 01492585055 or 07900264137 Email: plowe@rtaassociates.co.uk
RTA Associates Ltd www.rtaassociates.co.uk
ENFORCEMENT & DEBT RECOVERY SERVICES
• CPE implementation assistance • Contract preparation (enforcement, customer services and IT) • Quality reviews of existing operations
• Management support • Policy and procedure manuals • TMA 2004 training and WAMITAB qualification • CEO training and WAMITAB qualification • Audits and compliance surveys • Telephone and customer care courses • Letter writing courses • Parking Manager’s courses • Mystery shopping
All services are delivered by staff with extensive operational experience in all areas of CPE. Our consultants are either ex-local authority managers or have many years of commercial CPE experience. We will tailor our services to meet your specific requirements. Contact details – Kirsty Reeves 07917 353 218 E-mail – info@parkingassociates.co.uk Please visit our web site for further information – www.parkingassociates.co.uk
For more information on our services, please contact: Lauren Appleby (North) lappleby@newlynplc.co.uk 07931 811088
Shaun Byrne (South) sbyrne@newlynplc.co.uk 07964 764099
DOCUMENT AND STATIONERY SERVICES Services include: Demand Forecasts Analysis Strategy Policy Pricing Survey Design & Execution Management Plans
PSD - incorporating
Contact: harry@parkingperspectives.com 01245 330370
www.parkingperspectives.com
Tel: 07807 832554 Email: pipltd@outlook.com
Parking strategy & policy development Making the most of your assets Consultation & analysis Efficiency & productivity review
Usage surveys & analysis Development of revenue channels Equipment tenders & procurement Operational service reviews
For professional and independent consultation in parking please contact: Phil Grant on 07807 832554
The Parking Shop – is the market leader for parking related statutory document mailings and sustainable manual enforcement stationery. We also supply line marking and signage solutions and as part of our service we offer on site surveys and reports. www.parkingandsecuredocuments.com Email: contact@parkingandsecuredocuments.com Main office: 01761 409290 PARKING REVIEW | 47
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