Finding a car park on a hot summer’s day has become a little less stressful after new smart sensors have been installed in almost 800 Newcastle car spaces, allowing drivers previews of space availability.
To help commuters find available car park spaces faster while reducing traffic congestion, the sensors have been installed along Scenic Drive, Henderson Drive, Merewether Baths, Merewether Beach, Dixon Park, Bar Beach, Strzelecki Lookout and Newcastle Baths.
These sensors will be integrated with the Easypark app and City of Newcastle apps in the coming months for easy accessibility.
City of Newcastle Interim Director Strategy and Engagement Kathleen Hyland said the project was part of a plan to use smart parking technology better.
“Newcastle is home to amazing beaches, which are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, and we want to make accessing them easier through the use of smart parking technology,” Hyland said.
“By installing smart parking sensors, we’ll be able to provide real-time data to the Easypark and City of Newcastle apps to allow motorists to use their smartphone and determine the best location to drive and find a park ahead of their visit to our beaches and baths.”
The project builds upon the City of Newcastle’s smart city infrastructure, helping the community make informed decisions and navigate the city better.
Similar smart parking programs have been trialled in other council areas like the Central Coast.
The Racecourse Road car park at West Gosford has recently adopted a smart parking program, using cameras equipped with parking analytics that identify if a space is available.
The data is then fed to the existing NSW Government Park’nPay app so that drivers can easily identify how many free car spaces are available.
The new program provides a simple and cost-effective technology to install and maintain compared to in-ground sensors.
Hayley McMahon
Where to start glaring point how’s it all working out for Gosford council ??? So if one doesn’t have or doesn’t want to take a “smart phone” to the beach what does one do??? How will it be policed??? I presume there will be the same amount of spaces so what is the point especially for people who do not or want to take their “smart phones” to the beach