Kerbside management specialist Grid Smarter Cities has been honoured with the Parking Technology Award at the British Parking Awards held in London for its innovative Kerb® Delivery solution. This technology enables freight drivers to pre-book kerbside loading slots, eliminating the need for them to loiter or circle roads in search of parking. By doing so, it reduces congestion and enhances road safety for local authorities.

The award, which celebrates advancements in parking hardware, devices, or systems that improve parking management efficiency and user experience, recognised the Kerb® Delivery solution's capability to streamline kerbside delivery and collection across both physical and Virtual Loading Bays (VLBs). These VLBs are digitally created loading zones, often situated where parking is normally prohibited, with restrictions such as yellow or red lines temporarily lifted upon booking via the platform. According to Grid Smarter Cities, this innovation allows local authorities to better manage road space, while logistics firms can reliably schedule deliveries, addressing the chaotic, first-come-first-served nature of traditional kerbside usage.

The solution has seen successful implementation in several London boroughs including Southwark, Westminster, Lambeth, and Richmond. In these areas, VLBs operate at specified times, enabling commercial vehicles to load or unload without risking penalty charges. To complement the system, Grid Smarter Cities developed a two-sided e-ink digital sign for the kerbside displaying the booking details such as vehicle registration and timeslot, integrating seamlessly with the platform to visually confirm legitimate use.

This latest accolade builds on previous recognition for Grid Smarter Cities' Kerb platform. Notably, in October 2022, the company secured both the 'Project of the Year' and the 'Better Environment through Technology' awards at the ITS UK Awards. The judges lauded the platform for its contribution to greener and safer deliveries, improved operational efficiency, and significant export potential internationally. Earlier, in 2018, the Kerbside Management System won the Innovative App Award at the ITS UK Awards, underscoring the solution's continued impact on urban logistics by mitigating road risks, reducing pollution, and cutting congestion.

The British Parking Awards also recognised the Kerb Delivery solution as a pioneering approach to parking's future, a sentiment echoed by Toby Hiles, Sales and Partnerships Director at Grid Smarter Cities. Speaking at the awards ceremony held at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hiles highlighted the chaotic "wild west" nature of kerbside parking and praised the platform for enabling both councils and logistics operators to exert control, ultimately bringing efficiency and environmental benefits.

Further reinforcing the importance of such innovations, the event also featured winners like the National Parking Platform, a non-profit digital system aimed at unifying parking experiences across the UK. These developments underscore growing efforts to harness technology to optimise urban space usage, improve traffic flow, reduce emissions, and meet the challenges posed by increasing urban freight demand.

Grid Smarter Cities remains at the forefront of transforming kerbside management, with its solutions already improving delivery certainty for businesses while supporting local authorities' efforts to maintain safer, less congested streets across some of London’s busiest districts.

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Source: Noah Wire Services