Improving Blue Badge parking access in Colchester - a letter from Richard Walker
Like most organisations, the Parking Partnership has amassed a large amount of data. While there is much that could be done with the data, here we explore just one use case. A challenge was set to me by members of Colchester's Civic Society, who were interested in having a map showing where Disabled Badge Holders could park at the kerbside with a Blue Badge in Colchester.? We didn't have such a map.?
Given some insight, "Data!" was the answer
The Blue Badge scheme aims to provide accessible parking for Badge Holders so they can be closer to their destination – either as drivers or passengers – to access the services and facilities they need. This might involve several different locations during a single journey, particularly if the Badge Holder has a mobility impairment. A Blue Badge allows holders to travel independently and overcome social barriers which might otherwise leave them unable to carry out these tasks. There are some parking concessions available to badge holders, but these are not always clear – with a need to always check signs to see what the rules are when parking. The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere, and if the holder parks on certain types of waiting restrictions, they could be fined or receive a Penalty Charge Notice.
It's important to know where you would be able to park using a Blue Badge. But there is no existing map for this – only a map of different types of waiting and parking restrictions.?
Badge Holders have exemptions from different restrictions and time limits – but these vary at certain times and locations with shared bays, which can soon get complex. Making sense of the existing information as presented on-street could be quite difficult.
What would be needed was to reverse the logic of the restriction map, with added intelligence to show the other exemptions conferred by the Blue Badge. To do this manually would take a large amount of time, and a static printed map would likely be out of date soon after completion. In preparation for the TRO-D project, my organisation already has its traffic orders mapped. That data is available online, and in future might be shared digitally in several standard formats. Since the data already exists in our case, so does the ability to export it. We had the data copied to the AppyWay system, and our data appeared with all the expected features. Selecting the types of restrictions where a Blue Badge can be used will then build a map.
The AppyParking App has a feature to show where Blue Badge parking is possible. And there is the connection: using data for the benefit of customers. Just like that, we have an elegant, up-to-date, digital solution: a map of where Blue Badge Holders can park at the kerbside in Colchester, with minimal intervention. Using the free AppyParking mobile app, Blue Badge Holders can see the locations of every Blue Badge bay in the City.
This is just one example of making data work better for your organisation and your customers. With the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning to extend the connections between datasets, future possibilities could be endless; but that is the subject for a future conversation.
Pull up to the kerb and unwind! Happy Holidays!
As we park 2024 in the history books, what an incredible journey it's been – driving innovation with our amazing clients and partners in reimagining the future of kerbside management. Take time to pull up and recharge this holiday season. Here's to new adventures and endless possibilities in 2025!?
Warm wishes, The AppyWay Team
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