NSL Services Group has recently introduced new Pay and Display (P&D) machines in two cities in Northern Ireland (N.I.). The company has brought in 108 solar-powered Parkeon Strada® NEOPS terminals as part of the new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in Lisburn and Newry.

The Stradas have been installed for Roads Service, an executive agency within N.I.’s Department for Regional Development, which assumed responsibility for civil parking enforcement following decriminalisation in October 2006.

Reliability and support were key issues in the terminal selection process. “We work extensively with Parkeon, so they were a natural choice,” explained Jason McFadden, NSL Services Group’s Contract Manager in N.I. “We were impressed by Parkeon’s professional approach right from the start and their positive attitude is second-to-none.”

The Stradas are centrally monitored in NSL Services’ Belfast office using Parkeon’s Parkfolio.com centralised management system. “We use Parkfolio primarily to monitor the operational status of the machines and find it very easy to navigate,” Jason McFadden continued. “If someone calls claiming that they have encountered a problem with a machine, we are able check it out immediately on a PC.”

Parkfolio.com also generates financial and statistical reports, which are accessed via the web, to help NSL Services manage its whole N.I. operation.

Simon Richardson, Parking Enforcement Manager with Roads Service, is impressed with the performance of the Stradas. He said, “These machine are operating extremely well and I am very happy with the level of service they are providing to our customers. The total down time due to operational faults has been minimal, consequently we have received very few complaints from the public”.

A colour-coded parking zone indicator band has been fitted between the solar panel and the main body of each terminal. This helps to clarify the extent of the varying parking restrictions and tariffs for motorists, whilst also reducing the amount of signage required on-street.

NSL Services has opted for coin-only Stradas, which are fitted with transferable cash boxes for maximum security.

Parkeon’s distributor in Ireland, UTS Parking & Transportation, a division of UTS Technologies Ltd., is responsible for commissioning the terminals and handling warranty and service calls. “We get fantastic support from UTS, nothing is too much trouble and they respond very quickly,” added Jason McFadden.