FEATURE SEAMLESS JOURNEYS
this fact and invested accordingly, but compared to other parts of the transport sector, and especially when compared to airports, the parking experience at a railway station is still largely negative. Train operating companies appear not to understand, or value, the impact of parking on the rail travel experience; just as importantly, they seem not to recognise the opportunities to make better returns on their parking portfolio.
Passenger choice If we take the lessons learnt from the airports, then it is that passengers like choice when it comes to parking: they want to be able to pre-book their parking online, on the phone or via their sat nav systems. Teir vehicles can then be recognised via automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) upon arrival, speeding up the process. Tey also like to take advantage of discounts or ‘deals’ depending on the length of their stay. Tey like secure parking while they are away. Every passenger is different and has different
needs: first class passengers demand, and pay for, a better class of experience, and this starts with closer access to the station and availability of safe parking. It is not as if the means to offer a tailor-made
and convenient service does not exist. Technology is available that enables business users to create e-accounts so that they are charged when they use a particular facility. Barrier-less technology gives train operating companies the ability to create a customer-friendly parking experience tailored to meet users’ specific needs. Traditionally, railway car parks have offered
pay-and-display or pay-on-foot systems, with little or no ability to increase revenue streams outside of parking. And yet, a combination of ANPR technology, a new multi-function information/ payment kiosk, and Plato Pay software takes the concept of parking and revenue management to new heights, with countless opportunities to open new business sales channels. It is already possible, through available technology,
for a rail passenger to turn up at the railway station having already booked their parking space online, at the same time as booking their rail ticket and perhaps a host of other services, such as a cinema ticket for the evening. Tere would be no hunting for spaces – those would have been booked in advance – and the customer would have a choice of where to park – perhaps paying a premium to park near the platform. Later, that same customer could wave their credit
card, debit card or even their mobile phone at the exit barrier, and only be charged for the duration of their stay, not an arbitrary time slot.
www.britishparking.co.uk
A long way to go Unfortunately for the rail traveller, this world of convenience and choice is still some way from fruition. And yet it makes such sense. Not only would the train operator have happy
customers, but they would also have a system for adding value to their overall sale. Te operator would have total visibility, not just of the financial yield from individual car parks, but of all the car parks on their network. Barclaycard and Orange have already realised
the direction of travel, with Barclays seeing the opportunity to use its Wave and Pay card as the medium for tap in/tap out prepaid travel cards, and Orange embedding their phones so that tap in/tap out technology via a phone is a reality. All of this leads to the idea that parking is no
longer a burden or inconvenience but rather an essential part of the journey.
Leading the field
APT Skidata is playing its part in the creation of a seamless journey. All its parking devices are ISO14443 compatible, the same technology as the Oyster Card and Barclaycard Wave and Pay. Tis means that entry, exit
and payment terminals all have the capability of accepting card payment devices and will allow access to other services. Tom Buck, chief technical officer at APT Skidata, explained that the devices had the capability to offer anything from buying cinema tickets and reserving restaurants to paying for a railway season ticket. ‘We install the basic technology; it is up to the customer what they then want to do with it,’ said Buck. Director of APT Skidata, Neil
Young added: ‘We see ourselves as a solution-provider, not a hardware manufacturer. If a customer has a problem we will explore ways of solving it.’ But Young and Buck are
continually frustrated that some operators do not appreciate the potential of new technology. ‘People are making short-term decisions, particularly in the
public sector. Tere is a lack of both funding and strategic long- term thinking,’ said Buck. He used Oyster Card as an
example. Te card is used by millions of people to buy train or bus journeys, so if customers could also use it to pay for parking it would make a journey more seamless. ‘All our devices have the capability to accept Oyster Card but despite pushing and shoving there has not been a single take- up by car park operators.’ Te Express
Drop.Cash system
offers options for short-term visitors. Tis system has a toll- style coin bucket for fast-flowing traffic scenarios such as drop-off and pick-up zones at railway stations. Te system is also integrated with ANPR technology to provide a ‘virtual’ e-ticket. Young said: Te concept of a
seamless journey – where tickets are bought and paid for, seats reserved and a parking space booked and paid for – is a ‘true’ environment. All that is needed is the will and realisation that such an investment has rewards, both financial and through enhancing the customer experience.
OCTOBER 2011 35
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