Parkeon supplies Pay-on-Foot parking system for Canterburys new L100 million Whitefriars Centre

A Varioflex central server in the car park manager’s office provides a log of real-time events on a PC. Alarms and warnings enable car park personnel to be directed immediately to deal with any situation. This maximises parking revenues by helping to ensure that the terminals and pay stations are fully operational at all times, whilst also providing a dependable service for drivers.

The pay stations handle cash and credit card transactions. Secure card payments are authorised via CreditCall Communications’ CardEase Payment Service. This is integrated with the central server to process transactions, in real-time, over a wireless data network.

User instructions are displayed on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen which is recessed – along with the ergonomically-designed controls – to create a private and secure environment for users, a particularly important consideration for those paying with credit cards.

The server’s counting function tracks the car park’s occupancy levels and generates financial and statistical data that provide all the information needed to optimise the parking facilities’ potential income. The reports generated can be customised to common software application formats.

"As the developers, we are pleased with this new generation equipment. It gives us the flexibility that we were looking for," says Peter Scutt, the Centre’s Manager.

Varioflex pay stations are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), with all user controls being within the EEC regulatory 0.7 to 1.2 metres from ground level. This unique design is made possible by a motorised coin acceptor and a horizontal coin handling mechanism. It makes them the only pay stations on the market today that can cater for disabled and able-bodied users in its standard design, without the need to cut-down base plinths or build raised ramps in front of the units.

"The performance specification for the parking system was set by R.W.Gregory LLP, the Employers Services Consultants for the developer," explains Alan Robertson of HBG Construction Ltd., the Company responsible for building the Whitefriars Centre. "The system was designed to meet Land Securities’ standard operational requirements. The few providers able to meet the specifications were invited to tender."

The Whitefriars Centre occupies a 12 acre site in the heart of Canterbury. It comprises outlets for six major retailers, together with some 30 other shop units, high specification apartments and a new bus station, as well as the car park, which has bridge links to two of the stores. The parking facilities, which also offer Shopmobility and a cycle parking area, are being managed by Euro Car Parks.

About Parkeon

Parkeon was formerly Schlumberger e-City, the Parking and Ticketing Systems division of Schlumberger. The Company was at the forefront of the development of Pay & Display terminals in the 1970s and has 30 years of proven innovation and expertise in the parking business.

Today, Parkeon is a leader in parking systems and equipment. The Company employs over 800 people worldwide and generated revenues of €122 million in 2003.

With an installed base in excess of 130,000 machines, its parking terminals are a familiar sight in 3,000 cities across 40 countries and its Pay & Display systems control over 3 million parking spaces around the world. Over the last 15 years, Parkeon has developed an installed base of 3,000 ticket vending machines for heavy and light rail, underground and multimodal transport operators in Europe, notably Belgium, Denmark, France, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Thanks to world-class engineers and substantial investments over the last three years, Parkeon has built undeniable technological leadership in its field. Parkeon provides complete parking and fare collection solutions, equipment and services to municipalities, car park and mass transit operators.

Varioflex is a trademark of Parkeon.