Ostend introduces Shop & Go zones in city center

Following the successful implementation of the Shop & Go concept in the city of Kortrijk, the Belgian city of Ostend introduces the short-stay parking concept in the city center. From now on, suppliers and shop runners are able to park 15 minutes free of charge. Nedap’s SENSIT wireless parking sensors and FLOW’s Traffic Management System provide the city with the necessary real-time parking information.

Short-stay parking

For the Belgian coastal city of Ostend, accommodating the growing demand for on-street parking in the compact city center proves a challenge. However, the Shop & Go concept efficiently addresses that challenge. Customers who need to run a quick errand or suppliers delivering packages can use the short-stay parking spots in front of the shops for 15 minutes free of charge. Nedap's SENSIT on-street parking sensors detect in real-time whether or not a Shop & Go bay is occupied and for how long it has been occupied.

With the introduction of the retail parking concept, the city responds to the demand of many retailers and visitors for sufficient available parking spaces in front of the stores.

Convenient parking, efficient monitoring

The Shop & Go spaces are specifically developed for visitors who need to run a quick errand or suppliers who are delivering packages in the city center. With an improved availability of existing parking spaces close to the shops, motorists are able to park more conveniently. This results in less congestion, safer streets and a more attractive city for visitors and retailers.

Whenever SENSIT detects a vehicle in overstay, FLOW’s FLOWpark software automatically notifies a parking enforcer. The message includes the exact location and duration of the parking space in overstay, allowing a targeted action. Parking enforcers are able to work more efficiently and the risk for motorists to receive a parking ticket increases. Given this fact, it is very likely that motorist will adhere the 15 minute parking maximum.

However, Ostend mayor Jean Vandecasteele emphasizes that it is not the intention of the city to issue many parking tickets, but to increase the availability of parking spaces near the shops. The parking spaces are marked with a parking sign and retailers inform their customers through Shop & Go flyers.

“The increased parking rotation is good for both the retailers and the visitors. Customers are often less loyal to a shop than expected. Whenever they cannot find a parking space in front of a specific store, they will drive to the next. Exactly for this reason, retail exploiters increasingly prefer to introduce short-stay parking zones.", says Jean Vandecasteele.

Shop & Go - the success formula

“The Shop & Go concept offers citizens an improved quality of life, boosts retailers’ turnover and reduces environmental impact. These are the main reasons why a growing number of European smart cities, demanding 21st century solutions to accommodate their growing populations, adopt the Shop & Go success formula.” states Wouter Vansteenkiste, Nedap Business Development Manager.

Not just retailers are benefiting from new parking concepts. The demand for short-stay parking applications at for instance airports, city centers and train stations is increasing rapidly. Due to their high rotation level, regular short-stay parking bays are hard to monitor and enforce. With the tools developed by Nedap and its partners, monitoring and enforcing these short-stay parking bays becomes more efficient, leading to a better availability of parking spaces for motorists.

FLOW and Nedap

Like in Kortrijk, the combination FLOW and Nedap was selected to roll out the parking concept. With FLOWpark, Nedap’s Certified Business Partner offers the solution for traffic & parking management, ensuring a 360° view on the traffic circulation and parking rotation in Ostend.

"FLOW is pleased to support the city of Ostend for their Short Stay Parking zones with the right technology, delivered in a short period of time. Our FLOWpark software seamlessly integrates the real-time occupancy data from the SENSIT which results in a real-time view as well as advanced historical analytics allowing for smarter parking insights.”, adds Nicolas Talpe, FLOW Business Development Manager.

About Nedap Identification Systems

Nedap is a manufacturer of intelligent technological solutions for relevant themes. Sufficient food for a growing population, clean drinking water throughout the world and smart networks for sustainable energy are just a couple of examples of themes Nedap is working on. It has a continual focus on technology that matters. Nedap was established in 1929, has been listed on the stock exchange since 1947 and, with more than 720 employees, Nedap is active around the world.

Nedap Identification Systems is the leading specialist in systems for long-range identification, wireless vehicle detection and city access control. Readers, sensors and controllers optimize, monitor and control the movement of vehicles and people. Safe, secure and efficient.