Council rolls out innovative new parking monitoring car

ParkSmart is Sunshine Coast Council’s new hybrid, advanced parking monitoring vehicle equipped with number plate recognition technology and designed to encourage vehicle turnover, creating parking opportunities and allowing equitable and safe access to various locations in our region.

The hybrid vehicle (pictured) is fitted with a computer, software, high speed cameras and GPS and can record location and time simply by driving along a street.

Endorsed by council in June 2021, the three-year trial will start in the coming months and, during the initial trial period, the ParkSmart vehicle will patrol Caloundra followed by Birtinya and Eumundi.

Over the coming weeks, the vehicle will drive through these three areas and through its cameras identify parking signage present in the streets. Once completed, parking education will be conducted for the first four weeks of the trial.

Customer Engagement and Planning Services Group Executive Warren Bunker said the trial aimed to use technology to improve the efficiency and safety of monitoring parking behaviour.

“With more people choosing to live on the Sunshine Coast this technology will allow council to manage the increased demand for parking and ensure that the region’s natural environment and centres remain accessible and attractive."

The technology is already in use in other parts of Australia, and approved by all relevant authorities and complies with Australian traffic conditions.

Next steps will be determined once council assesses the outcomes of the trial.

For more information about ParkSmart, visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/parking or contact council on (07) 5475 7272.

ParkSmart Fast Facts:

• The vehicle will patrol Birtinya, Caloundra and Eumundi during the initial trial period.
• Equipped with number plate recognition, the ParkSmart vehicle is fitted with a computer, software, high speed cameras and GPS.
• Data is confirmed through GPS and is then mapped into a software program to enable parking offences to be detected.
• The vehicle captures images of parked vehicles and records the vehicle location (GPS coordinates), number plate and time.
• It allows council to check whether motorists are adhering to parking regulations by driving along a street.
• Those motorists overstaying the parking time allocation will be forwarded an infringement.
• ParkSmart operates in all weather conditions.
• It identifies parking signage in the street.