In several Belgian cities and municipalities, Brussels-based Rauwers Controle is responsible for monitoring paid parking. For this purpose, so-called scanning vehicles are sent out every day. These are all equipped with specialised cameras and ditto GPS systems that register and locate parked cars. The huge amount of data collected by the scanning vehicles is sent in real time to the desk force. That centralised system processes the data and automatically checks whether the scanned vehicles are parked correctly. 

The challenge

Whether there is a parking violation depends on a variety of factors. In which zone is the vehicle parked? What does the city or municipality's parking regulations say? Has it been paid correctly? Does the vehicle have a permit as a resident or disabled person? Is there enough free passage? And so on. Taking into account all this information on the public domain and simultaneously registering and analysing the collected data quickly and correctly is a technical feat. 

The solution 

To manage the data flow, GIM developed a customised QGIS solution. "Our team worked closely together with that of Rauwers Controle," says An Heirman, Project & Relationship Manager at GIM. "Together we drew up a workflow to efficiently and qualitatively process and manage the data. We used QGIS Desktop for this purpose." 

"Using that software, parking spaces were plotted box by box as polygons in the database and linked to the corresponding information on legal parking," An continues. "In addition, we used an underlying process that automatically integrates existing data into the new system." 

The result

In addition to the data solution, GIM also provided customised QGIS training. "That training was purely customised," adds An. "We tailored the session from a to z to the actions that Rauwers Control employees need to take to guarantee correct parking controls. Moreover, we supported them in drawing up a plan of action." 

A lot of customisation is also in the offing in the near future. An: "The crucial thing is to integrate both feedback from inspectors in the field and changes in the parking policies of cities and municipalities into the new database as soon as possible. Automation plays an essential role in this. In this way, we limit the number of possible errors and guarantee a smooth flow of information to and from the scanning vehicles." 

"In the long run, Rauwers Controle's data solution also constitutes a valuable source of knowledge," concludes An. "By analysing the collected data, cities and municipalities can identify any bottlenecks in their parking policies and - as befits Smart Cities - formulate smart answers to them."