Current Press Archived Press

07/07/2010 | APT AND CIRCONTROL PUT NEW POWER BEHIND ELECTRICAL VEHICLE (EV) CHARGING SOLUTIONS

APT Controls Group, the

05/07/2010 | APT GETS SET TO PUT LUTON STREETS AHEAD FOLLOWING NEW CONTRACT WIN

APT Security Systems, the high-end integrator for high-performance access systems, has helped design a new street scheme for the Arndale Centre

14/06/2010 | APT’S COMPLETE RANGE IN CRASH TEST TRIUMPH

Following the launch of its new ‘Complete' bollard range, APT Security Systems, the high-end integrator for high-performance vehicle access sys

13/06/2010 | APT SKIDATA LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION IN INTEGRATED PARKING MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY

APT SkiData has taken its thought-leadership in parking management solutions a step further with the launch of Plato Pay, the next generation i

19/01/2010 | APT SKIDATA APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

Sean Dunstan has succeeded Dermot Murphy as Managing Director of APT Skidata, the UK‘s number one parking technology specialists. Dermot has mo

18/12/2009 | APT EXTENDS RANGE OF CRASH-RATED AUTOMATIC BOLLARDS

A new mid-range automatic rising bollard that can withstand the impact of a 7.5 tonne vehicle striking it at 30mph has been launched by APT Sec

14/12/2009 | APT MAKES A STAND FOR STREET FURNITURE!

What is believed to be the first crash-rated cycle stand with anti-terrorism/ram raid properties has been launched by APT Security Systems (par

07/12/2009 | APT TECHNOLOGY GIVEN LUXURY THUMBS UP FROM HARRODS

Harrods, the luxury London store, is controlling traffic to its delivery bays and valet car park using a number of barriers from APT Security S

30/11/2009 | PARKING TECHNOLOGY FROM APT SKIDATA HELPS VIRGIN TRAINS

Future-proof parking technology from APT Skidata is playing a central role in a £90 million investment programme by Virgin Trains to modernise

16/11/2009 | APT ACCESS TECHNOLOGY KEEPS TIGER FANS ROARING

Sophisticated people access control technology, designed and installed by APT Skidata, is helping fans of the Leicester Tigers gain a speedy an

07/10/2009 | FIRST OUTING FOR APT’S NEW ‘FLEXY BOLLARDS’ AT ANDERSON HOUSE

The UK's most advanced Flexible bollards have been installed by APT Security Systems, the high-end integrator for high-performance vehicle acce

30/09/2009 | APT SKIDATA COMPLETES HAT-TRICK OF UPGRADES FOR BAA

APT SkiData has completed final works on the third of three complete system upgrades and expansions at all of BAA's London Airports – Heathrow,

28/09/2009 | APT LAUNCHES NEW ‘CLASSIC’ BARRIER RANGE

A new ‘Classic' range of cost-effective and highly reliable barriers designed for long-term residential and commercial use has been launched by

20/07/2009 | NEW BOLLARD THAT RISES, FLEXES AND GLOWS IN THE DARK!

An innovative bollard that automatically rises, flexes and even glows in the dark has been launched by APT Security Systems, leaders in vehicul

APT ADDS FINISHING TOUCHES TO IKEA COVENTRY CAR PARK

The APT Group of Companies, the vehicle access, revenue parking and vehicle counting business, has recently completed the installation of a comprehensive parking solution at IKEA, Coventry.

IKEA Coventry is IKEA's first city centre store in the UK and is used by IKEA shoppers and drivers visiting the city centre. To help IKEA manage car park usage, APT Skidata was selected to provide a pay-on-foot parking system from its proven APT Parking.Logic PC-based range, which is the first full pay-on-foot system to be installed at an UK IKEA store.

IKEA's dedicated car park, with over 650 spaces spread across three levels, is situated below the main store. To ease congestion and make it easier for parkers to find their parking space IKEA is also making the most of bay monitoring technology – installed by APT SkiData's newly launched sister company – APT Technologies.

The bay monitoring technology senses whether a parking bay is occupied or empty, and indicates its status via red and green lights (or a blue light to indicate a disability space) installed above the parking area. The LED indicators are used in conjunction with electronic signs displaying space availability to help direct drivers to parts of the car park that have spaces. The system allows drivers to immediately see where spaces are available, greatly improving traffic flow and enhancing their parking experience.

The APT Parking.Logic range is flexible in design and uses industry-standard software (Windows XP and SQL7 database). Each component of the revenue collection system is designed and manufactured from high-grade steel, cast aluminium and polycarbonate. IKEA Coventry has parking columns at the exit lane and two entry lanes, and six pay stations – three of which are Easy.Cash stations and the other three are Easy.Credit.

The Easy.Cash station offers reliable technology for users to make payments either in cash (banknotes and coins) or by credit and debit cards and also loyalty card. Easy.Credit, a smaller (less expensive pay station) with the same proven technology, which accepts only cards for cashless parking. Both pay stations use Coder Unlimited, APT SkiData's automated ticket handling technology, making it possible to process all kinds of ticket type, including mag-stripe, crosswise barcodes and also lengthwise barcodes. The pay stations also process validated tickets for IKEA shoppers who receive a period of free parking if they spend over a pre-determined limit.

The system's software provides detailed reports, offering IKEA Coventry information regarding car park usage like which spaces/areas are used most heavily; what proportion of car park users shop in IKEA; and the duration of stays.

Commenting on the parking technology, Tony Jones, General Manager of APT Technologies said: “Bay monitoring is already popular in Europe, and IKEA is not new to the concept as a similar system is already being used at IKEA in Salzburg, which was installed by our technology partner INDECT. IKEA Coventry wanted to improve the customer experience and the beginning and end of this is in the car park. It is important that customers find a parking space with ease and as quickly as possible, and bay monitoring is a very effective means of improving traffic flow within a car park.”

The bay monitoring technology is made available in partnership with INDECT, an Austrian-based business and acknowledged leader in its field that already has more than 100 installations worldwide. Soon to be completed will be the prestigious Dubai Mall, which will have 16,000 individually monitored parking bays.