License Plate Recognition Parking Solution Now in Haapsalu
The biggest change is that drivers no longer need to place a parking clock on their dashboard when visiting the store. Snabb has installed several license plate recognition cameras on the facade of the shopping center, which track vehicles entering the parking lot. “When you drive in, the system records your arrival time, and the free parking period begins,” explained Kõiv.
Parking fines are still issued manually. “Automatic fines, like those from speed cameras, aren’t possible in Estonia at the moment. Technically, it could work, but private companies cannot access vehicle owner information from the registry,” noted Kõiv.
Therefore, a parking attendant still monitors the lot, using a smartphone to check vehicle license plates. “The attendant sees the entry time for each car. Essentially, they receive a green or red signal indicating whether the car has been parked for less or more than two hours,” said Kõiv. Cars flagged with a red signal receive a fine slip placed on the windshield. In Haapsalu, the fine for exceeding the parking time limit is €20.
“All the cameras are installed, and our staff is trained,” said Raimond Lunev, the manager of Haapsalu Coop, to Lääne Elu.
Snabb developed this parking system out of necessity. According to Kõiv, over half of parking fines are issued because people forget to set their parking clocks. “A fined customer leaves with a negative experience; the business near the parking lot gets a bad reputation, while the parking operator is the only one who benefits,” Kõiv pointed out.
Snabb’s license plate recognition system was introduced to eliminate issues caused by forgotten parking clocks. “We don’t make as much from fines, but the overall situation is calmer. When fines are issued, they’re justified,” said Kõiv.
Snabb launched this innovative system about a year ago at Tallinn’s Järve Center and later at Ülemiste Center. “Now others are following suit. A competitor is currently testing a similar system at Kristiine Center,” noted Kõiv.
The new Haapsalu Kaubamaja parking lot has 116 spaces in total. Lunev explained that Snabb replaced Europark primarily because Coop could not get data from Europark. As a result, Lunev had no idea how many fines were issued in the parking lot.
“Now, we can see in real time how many cars enter the lot, how long they park – whether for 10 minutes or half an hour – and we can also track how many have exceeded the allowed parking time,” Lunev said.
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Snabb OÜ
info@snabb.ee
+372 5811 4001 (Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00, technical help 24h)
Peterburi tee 49, Tallinn 11415
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