The APT Group of Companies – the vehicle access, revenue parking and people counting business – has launched a new division – APT Technologies – specifically to provide and promote two fast-growing areas of parking management technology to new and existing customers: ‘Bay Sensing’, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
Bay sensing is a relatively new concept, already popular in Europe and now being trialled in the UK, that senses whether a parking bay is occupied or empty, and indicates its status via red and green lights installed above the parking area. It allows drivers to immediately see where spaces are available, greatly improving traffic flow and enhancing their parking experience.
The technology will be made available in partnership with INDECT, an Austrian-based business and acknowledged leader in its field that already has more than 30 installations in Europe and is the specified technology for a number of retail sites in Dubai.
ANPR is an established technology within the security and policing sectors, now increasingly being used in the parking industry to help improve and bring new levels of flexibility to customer service. The system can automatically allow entry to a car park to authorised personnel and pre-booked visitors, simply by ‘recognising’ their car as it arrives by reading its plate.
ANPR can control barriers, count the number of vehicles that have parked, and support a guard to determine if vehicles (and drivers) are authorised as and when they arrive. Information can be networked and shared as required, with images of vehicles and their license plates captured with an event log for subsequent review.
The ANPR technology is being provided as part of an exclusive re-seller agreement with the specialist manufacturer, Citysnyc, and two installations are already underway with Stansted Airport, and a project for Southampton City Council.
Commenting on the launch of the new business, Dermot Murphy, Director of The APT Group of Companies says: “Both Bay Sensing and ANPR are very fast growing areas of technological development and a logical fit to the solutions we provide, not only in our revenue parking business (APT SkiData) but also in our Systems business (APT Controls).
“By reaching agreement with these leading specialists, INDECT and Citysync, we will be able to bring further value-added solutions to our existing customers, as well as working with new customers where APT technology may not already be installed.”

Email: imcintyre@aga.co.uk