Kerb - Intelligent Kerbside Management

KERB Virtual Parking System (VPS) – Is a Real Time Dynamic, Intelligent Kerbside Management Solution for Cities: The solution addresses the First of a Kind Challenge with an innovative, patent protected, ready for market solution with global potential that can deliver, rapidly, at least cost and effort •additional capacity •adaptability • resilience •integration of / into other technologies. Grid Smarter Cities Limited (Grid) has developed a novel web-based scalable application which allows commercial vehicle operators to opt to pay and park/load unload on previously unavailable kerb space in high density, urban traffic areas. Operators will use the application to reserve a defined location on restricted kerbspace during an available time slot for a fixed fee. This pre-booked space becomes a ‘Virtual Loading Bay’ (VLB) or Virtual Parking Bay (VPB) allowing drivers to load and unload in close proximity to their delivery point without causing congestion and without the risk of receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and saving time and fuel. Local Authorities (LAs) will determine the fee and the locations to be exempted. This can be time and vehicle specific to give preference to certain vehicles (e.g. zero / low carbon vehicles) and to ‘nudge’ behaviour into off-peak times.Using Kerb VPS helps councils to address air quality issues in general and also in specific areas by managing kerbspace at a micro level and behavioural change through incentivisation and intelligent kerbside management managing traffic flows. Kerb VPS contributes to macro reductions when applied across the borough area by reducing congestion and driver stress on roads. Kerb VPS will reduce the cost associated with administering PCNs creating cost certainties (for fleet operators and councils alike) as well as well as efficiency savings from optimised deliveries.Other benefits include: •efficient planning multiple drop-offs,reducing CO2 emissions. •Encourages take-up of electric vehicles (EVs) by the delivery industry, by providing bookable EV bays incentivised by 'at location' rapid chargers. •Utilises kerb space on routes that traditionally prohibit loading and unloading – allowing deliveries at previously difficult to reach locations.•Saves money by reducing the time and mileage spent searching for available kerb space. •Reducing PM, NO and CO2 emissions in keeping with “Corporate Social Responsibility”and international air quality standards. •Sending ‘real time’ updates to Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) reducing the issuing of PCNs. There is overwhelming support for such a solution with significant environmental (included in Air Quality Action Plans provided by DEFRA and London Councils) and economic benefits for commercial vehicle operators and LAs in the adoption of the solution in comparison with the existing regime of PCNs for illegal parking which is currently ‘stick with no carrot.’ It also provides a positive user-led revenue stream for the city, and helps freight and logistics operators avoid PCNs by offering them bookable spaces, where they need to deliver at times that least impact on the road network creating efficiency savings for all parties and a national booking portal for operators and councils. The solution is replicable and repeatable for London boroughs and provincial cities who will be able to opt-in with as many or as few VPBs / VLBs as they wish. Additionally the platform can be used for other vehicle types as well as freight vehicles such as EV's (including taxis), coaches, vehicles for disabled drivers and skips.