SINGAPORE: Residents and visitors at the newly completed Northshore Residences I and II in Punggol will be the first to trial a new generation parking system from Monday (Jan 4), the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in a news release.
The smart parking system, Parking@HDB, is set to offer a “seamless and more convenient parking experience”, HDB said.
Northshore Residences I and II are the first two smart-enabled housing precincts in Punggol Northshore, where smart technologies are being incorporated for a more “liveable, efficient, sustainable and safe living environment”.
For a start, the trial will be carried out at one car park, PL80, at Northshore Residences I and II which comprises 1,000 parking lots.
Parking@HDB is part of this new initiative and incorporates various features aimed at improving the parking experience for residents and visitors.
These will include removing the need for gantry barriers at car park entrances and exits for a seamless flow of traffic, as vehicle plates will be registered via cameras.
PAYING THROUGH PARKING@HDB APP
More options will now be available for short-term parking as well.
Motorists can download the Parking@HDB app at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store so that they can pay their parking charges via credit or debit cards through the mobile application.
“The smart parking system detects their vehicle when it enters the car park and automatically activates the parking session through the app,” HDB said, adding that parking charges will be automatically deducted when exiting the car park.
Motorists will not need to manually activate the app or insert their cash cards into the In-Vehicle Unit (IU) and worry about insufficient funds.
Those who do not have the Parking@HDB app will have to continue to pay their parking charges via their cash cards in their IU.
EFFICIENT PARKING
To make it easier to locate available lots, colour-coded LED overhead indicators are installed above every parking lot in the car park.
“Green means lots are available for short term parking while amber means lots are reserved for season parking,” HDB said.
“The light indicator will be switched off for occupied lots.”
Motorists who do short-term parking will receive real-time in-app notifications at the start and end of their parking sessions, as well as on their incurred charges.
ILLEGAL PARKING
Smart cameras are also installed in the car park to detect motorists who park illegally.
Those who park in an unauthorised lot will receive an automated alert on their Parking@HDB app informing them to shift their vehicles, failing which they will be subject to a fine.
Those without the app will not be able to receive such notifications. Instead, the system will alert HDB to administer enforcement from the backend.
“This will allow for automated enforcement around the clock to ensure more orderly parking that benefit both motorists and residents,” HDB said.
FLEXIBLE LOT ALLOCATION
Based on data collected on car park usage, the Smart Parking system will also allocate parking lots to meet varying demands on a real-time basis.
For instance, when demand for short-term parking is high during the day and season parking lots are not fully occupied, the number of available lots for short-term parking will be adjusted accordingly.
“Conversely, the number of available lots for short-term parking will be reduced in the evening to ensure sufficient lots for season parking when residents return home,” HDB said.
“This will allow an efficient and dynamic allocation of parking lots to meet motorists’ needs throughout the day.”
SMART PARKING TRIAL
The first four features to be tested in the trial will include the seamless entry and exit to the car park, in-app notifications on the start and end of parking sessions and parking charges incurred, payment of parking fees via credit or debit card registered in the Parking@HDB app, and overhead light indicators which signal lot availability.
Other features will be introduced progressively, HDB said.
Motorists who download and use the Parking@HDB app will enjoy free parking for their first three parking sessions at PL80, HDB said.
The trial will be extended to other car parks in the Northshore district, in tandem with the completion of the Build-To-Order flats.
Based on the feedback and results of the trial, HDB will explore the feasibility of implementing the system beyond Punggol Northshore, HDB added.
Source: CNA/kv