Filenews 20 September 2020 - by Dora Christodoulou
An Integrated System of Smart Parking and Driver Information, which will be connected to every available parking space in the city, is proposed by city councillor Philip Philippou to solve the traffic problem of Paphos and make it easier for drivers to park their vehicles.
It explains that the definition of public vehicle parking is part of a package of traffic arrangements aimed at improving road conditions, the safety of road users and the smooth running of public transport by public transport. It proposes the extension of the controlled parking system accompanied by the required technical studies.
"In particular, car parks in cities are not determined by accident or on the basis of the receipt of exchanges from the concession of use," he says. "On the contrary, a specific traffic–environmental study is required, taking into account the provisions of the Traffic Road Code and assessing in detail specific elements, such as the traffic load in the area and road concerned, the width of the road, its operation for both local and passing traffic, the parking needs of cars, the residential configuration and any particular characteristics of the area.
Paphos, unfortunately, lacks available parking spaces throughout the municipal area and its citizens suffer daily from this unpleasant phenomenon. With the new plans we have succeeded in increasing parking spaces, but in no case are they enough, they do not cover areas that are in increased need and we certainly have not covered the neighborhoods of Paphos at all".
The first thing, observes Mr. Philippou, is to prepare a comprehensive study for the Municipality of Paphos, which shows available spaces that we can convert into public parking spaces. These spaces can be empty fields, existing spaces that can be expanded as they are either in height, creating two-storey or even three-storey controlled parking spaces, he suggests.
"Either it can be empty plots in neighborhoods, old buildings that have closed their circle and no longer serve, property of the Municipality that is adjacent to areas of increased need, even private spaces that can be rented or purchased by the municipality to be used for this purpose", stresses Mr. Philippou. "Having now a complete picture, the Municipality of Paphos should create these new parking spaces, with an emphasis on very good lighting and control".
Given the need for better management of all these parking spaces to be created, for increasing revenue from the exploitation of controlled parking spaces, for informing drivers about available parking spaces, but also for the protection and better policing of special parking spaces, the rapporteur of the proposal proposes as studied, designed and implemented an Integrated System of Intelligent Parking Management and Driver Information , (Smart Parking), which will be connected to every available parking space. "This system," explains the municipal councillor of the EDEC, "should include:
- Wireless sensors, which will control every parking space.
- Transponders, which will communicate wirelessly with the sensors and forward the data they receive to the data collection units.
- The Data Collection Units, which will collect the data from the transponders and send them to the control center of the Municipality via GPRS connection.
- Certification devices for users of special parking spaces (disabled, loading, monthly, beneficiaries of a special discount, etc.) These devices will be installed near the special parking spaces and users will certify, through a special RFID technology card, the legal occupation of the location. Parking meters that will allow payment by credit card, coins and prepaid time cards.
- Electronic driver information signs, which will be installed at points on the municipality's road network and will inform drivers in real time of the availability of parking spaces.
- Navigation app for smart phones. This app will guide the driver to the available parking spaces.
- And the Control Center Software, which will be responsible for collecting and processing the data sent by data collection units."
All parking spaces, he points out, will appear on a digital map. It will be able to be joined with the palm laptops available to the city's traffic wardens, who will be able to issue direct calls and be registered in the electronic system. It will also be able to manage automatic call payments.
"The problem of lack of parking in our municipality is real and suffers unimaginably and every day all the citizens of Paphos", concludes Philip Philippou. "But it will be a manageable problem and it can be solved if we really look for the right solution. This, in my view, will demonstrate to us a comprehensive study, which we will have to implement and create as many spaces as necessary.
At the same time, by entering the paths of a smart city, we adopt and install an Integrated Smart Parking And Driver Information System".
Paphos wants to be a smart city
Directly interwoven with the innovation of "smart parking", is also the ongoing program of the transformation of Paphos into a "smart city". In these designs, modern and "smart" management of traffic and general driving everyday life plays a central role. "Paphos will soon be able to offer residents and visitors new prospects for the use of modern methods, such as an electronic communication system, signs and time information on buses, a network of electric bicycle stations, a network of electric vehicle charging points, an upgrade of public lighting and the creation of a high-speed WiFi network in all central and tourist areas of the municipality," says Paphos Municipal Councillor Panagiotis Vorkas. "The whole effort becomes innovative since as a link has been adopted the use of available information and communication technologies, what is expressed as a "smart city" infrastructure, in order to improve the quality, performance and interactivity of urban services while reducing the cost and consumption of resources".
Building a smart city contributes to achieving a total improvement in the quality of life and efficiency of services and meeting the needs of citizens, stresses:
"For example, the citizen and the guest in the Municipality of Paphos will be able to travel more easily with the available urban transport, since it will be able to be updated online via mobile phone applications, available free of charge at the portal of the municipality, for the whole service, including the waiting time until the arrival of the next bus that will take it to its desired destination".
All services of the municipality will be accessible through this Portal, including a comprehensive list of attractions with a description and explanation for each, as well as services offered by individuals and local businesses that will be contracted with the municipality, points out Mr. Vorkas.
The first change to be felt in Paphos from the beginning of 2021, he announces, will be technological upgrades to public transport.
A total of 173 points within the municipal area of Paphos where there are bus stops, in particular, have been included in three different categories depending on their visitation, in order to join the project already started to improve and modernise their shelters.
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