Sutton Council employs new sensor technology to help monitor disabled parking bay use
Sutton Council is deploying sensors to help monitor the usage of disabled parking spaces around the town centre in Sutton, South London.
The Council, together with UK-based provider IoT Solutions Group, will be trialling an Internet of Things solution (IoT) as part of the South London Partnership’s InnOvaTe Project to accurately report on the usage of disabled parking spaces around the town centre.
The move will help to give disabled bay users a voice as part of any future development or road change plans in Sutton Town Centre.
While making roads in the borough more pleasant for walking and cycling is a priority for the Council, a spokesperson stated that it is also vitally important to ensure that appropriate provision of disabled parking is continued.
The Council, the spokesperson added, is often asked to consider the relocation of disabled bays when new developments or road changes are proposed. However, it argues, it is difficult to collect accurate information on the bays’ usage as evidence may be anecdotal or CCTV footage unclear.
The sensors will be placed in disabled parking spots and will provide vital data on the usage, frequency and duration for which the space is used.
According to the Council, this will help it to make informed decisions during development or consultations and ensure disabled bay users can still park in the town centre when any road layout changes to improve the pedestrian experience are proposed.
Data collected from the sensors will be anonymous and in compliance with all GDPR policies and the project team’s Transparency Principles.
Councillor Manuel Abellan, Chair of the Environment & Sustainable Transport Committee at Sutton Council, said: “We are excited to be working with IoT Solutions Group to trial these sensors as they will provide the Council with information on when and how often disabled parking bays are occupied.
“We hope that as a result of this trial our teams will be able to understand the true usage of the spaces. We will also be engaging with residents and those who use the spaces ahead of future decisions, as their voices and experiences are important to us.”
Emma Mahy, CEO of IoT Solutions Group, said “Our aim at IoT Solutions Group is to use technology for good, so we are delighted to have been selected to continue our partnership with Sutton Council in addressing this important requirement.
“Innovative approaches, such as our smart parking solution, allow councils to make more informed decisions in a cost effective way that was not possible before the dawn of technologies such as IoT.
“We look forward to continuing this work with the team at Sutton to help enhance the lives of disabled residents and visitors.”
Earlier this year it was reported that 2.44 million Blue Badges were held by 31 March 2020, which represented a 6.5 percent increase from the previous year.
Blue Badges are parking badges issued by local authorities to disabled individuals with severe mobility conditions.
Having a badge enables disabled people to park in designated parking spaces, which are situated closer to their destination.
