APT Skidata, a supplier of access control equipment for parking facilities, has carried out a complete systems upgrade to all 11 public parking areas at London Heathrow Airport.
Working with parking management company APCOA Parking UK, APT Skidata delivered software and hardware upgrades across the airport’s entire parking estate. The parking facilities have been upgraded to run on APT Skidata’s vehicle access management system, Parking.Logic, with new features and advanced software applications specifically designed to enhance the customer experience.
Heathrow will also now benefit from Skidata’s cloud-based reporting and management system. With access to real-time key data and information, including ticket data, payment types, cashflow and occupancy levels, APCOA can monitor and manage the reporting data to take immediate decisions, as well as analyze performance against long-term strategies and objectives to optimize parking across the Heathrow estate.
The system also includes access to Skidata’s Emissions Evaluation Service (EES), which provides real-time data on the fuel type of every vehicle entering and exiting each parking lot via ANPR. This can be used to implement initiatives such as creating ‘green’ tariffs for drivers of electric or hybrid vehicles, identify high emission pockets, and plan for required levels of charging infrastructure based on electric vehicle usage data.
Paul Connolly, director of airport services at APCOA Parking UK, said, “Heathrow is committed to a sustainable future for aviation, and we have already worked with them to reduce harmful CO2 emissions through the electrification of its shuttle bus fleet. With access to real-time, accurate data on the number of gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fully electric vehicles using the car parks, APT Skidata’s smart reporting and management software will enable us to analyze and better manage emissions across the estate, and in turn help Heathrow to achieve its green objectives.”
As well as providing digital services and software enhancements, Skidata has also provided hardware upgrades, such as replacing existing payment stations with its latest Skiosk payment terminals. Equipped with an interactive 21.5in touchscreen display, the Skiosk’s intuitive design makes them extremely easy to use, with multiple payment options.
Additionally, the 114 controlled entry and exit lanes across the Heathrow estate have all been upgraded to Skidata’s Power.Gate control columns, which support technologies including RFID cards, ANPR and contactless payment at exit via Apple or Google Pay.
Steve Murphy, managing director at APT Skidata, said, “Our technology has been used at Heathrow for more than 15 years and we continue to innovate new solutions, and provide new digital and data-driven services to maintain their confidence and meet growing demand.”