Wellington joins an elite list of smarter cities around the globe that are embracing everyday available technology to make life better for the people

Following a successful trial Wellington City Council in partnership with Smart Parking Limited are set to launch Sector 1 of the cities smart parking system - a move which could transform how residents, visitors and commuters park their car in the Capital.

Sector 1 sees approximately 900 parking sensors placed in the Golden Mile and the surrounding area with a further 3 sectors and over 2,580 sensors to be rolled out before Christmas, making it the largest deployment of the technology in Asia Pacific.

Parking at your fingertips

Parking Services Manager for Wellington City Council, Michelle Riwai says “The introduction of this new technology means you just enter the parking space number at the parking machine, pay for the time you need and it’s done. You don’t need to return to your vehicle to display a receipt. Parking sensors also mean that we can implement more convenient ways to pay”.

Drivers can download the free app PayMyPark which allows them to pay for their parking session straight from their smartphone device and extend their time remotely.

Once downloaded they simply enter the bay number into the app and press ‘start’ then continue at their leisure. Upon return to the vehicle they then select the ‘stop’ function therefore only paying for the time they use. Smart Parking’s infrared sensors automatically detect when a car arrives and relays the information to PayMyPark alerting the application of the cars arrival and departure.

Smart Parking's Group Chief Executive Officer, Paul Gillespie said: “Smart Parking sensors work in conjunction with PayMyPark to make parking a stress free experience. No more looking for change or racing back to the car. Simply park and enjoy! Not only does this improve the driver experience but it also indirectly helps Wellington CBD businesses by improving access to the CBD.”

Drivers are also given the option to pay for a ‘fixed period’ in advance. When their parking period is about to expire they will receive a text alert and the option to extend their time remotely. If they finish early they can simply stop the parking session and receive an automatic refund to their account.

No more searching for coins, no receipt needed and most importantly motorists only pay for their actual parking time!

Leading edge parking management

Smart Parking’s central database SmartRep collates and analyses the live information on how parking space is being used. Accurate vehicle-by-vehicle, minute-by-minute data on actual usage of the city’s facilities gives Wellington City Council the leading edge in day-to-day management and future planning.

Chief Operating Officer Greg Orchard says, “The new system builds on our Smart Capital approach towards making transport choices easier. Having real-time information about parking space use is one step to understanding parking trends in the city”. The information about parking space use, turnover and occupancy will help plan Wellington’s parking and transport needs.

About Smart Parking

Formed in 1993, Smart Parking is now one of the largest and fastest-growing bay sensor technology companies in the world with SmartPark with deployments in capital cities across the globe including Canberra; London, Cardiff, and Cape Town, Costa Rica and Cape Town. 

Smart Parking specialises in some of the most technically innovative real-world solutions available within the market and continually leads the way in the development and application of these technologies, under the 'Smart' systems brand. They develop industry-leading technology and provide their clients with the very best parking management solutions.