Guiding Terminal 2 travellers to their parking place

Drivers are directed to parking bays at Heathrow Terminal 2 by the Highlight Bay Monitoring and Baywatch Car Finder systems

Drivers using The Queen’s Terminal car park are directed to the nearest available parking bay by a system of variable message signs and light indicators above each spot. Each bay within Terminal 2’s car park is monitored by its own individual ANPR camera, which keeps track of what bays are occupied. This means when customers return to the car park, they can use ‘Car Finder’ terminals to locate their car within the five level structure.

The Highlight parking bay guidance and Baywatch Car Finder services have been designed and developed by London-based Highlight Parking. The Queen’s Terminal is the first Heathrow car park to feature Baywatch (Terminal 5 has an earlier car finding system provided by another supplier).

“As Heathrow is a very busy airport it is really important for us to get customers into the right place,” says Steve Bogg, Heathrow’s car park manager. 

“We need to enable them to find spaces. As drivers come up the ramp we tell them how many spaces are on each level. On entry, we now have dot matrix VMS signs, which enable us to close and open entries whenever we need to. This helps us push customers in the right direction to where those spaces are available. It is a bit like on the M25 where you have crosses and ticks, and represents a big step forward for us.”

Once drivers have entered the car park, variable message signs on each level of the spiral and major intersection tell customers where space is available. “Having got them to the areas where the space is, we use the Highlight bay monitoring system to show them exactly what space is available,” says Bogg. “A green light indicates an available space. Highlight has 1,300 cameras, which is one for each covered bay of the car park. They take a picture every few seconds and record what car is in each space.”

When drivers return to the car park they can relocate exactly where they have parked via the Baywatch Car Finder touch-screen kiosks positioned by the lift and pay station lobbies on each level. Drivers simply enter their number plates, either in full or partially, and a selection of matching images of parked cars is displayed on the touchscreen. Touching the appropriate image pulls up information on what bay and level the car is parked. “It will tell them the space, row and level where their car is parked,” notes Bogg.

The Highlight and Baywatch Car Finder system has also enhanced operational reporting, says Bogg. “We have live data showing which spaces are full, which are taken and we know exactly which vehicle registration is in each of those and how long cars dwell,” he says. “This data will help us identify areas where we should direct customers to in future because we know those bays aren’t being used. It gives us some really good insight. Also, if the police call and they want to find a specific vehicle, we can do that very quickly.”

David Harrison, founder of Highlight Parking, says that he was immensely proud to have been asked to install the systems at the high profile Terminal 2, and is pleased with the positive feedback from both Heathrow and APCOA as well as the car park’s first users. “The technology has been tried and tested at airports, at shopping centres and in business parking environments, but Heathrow Terminal 2 is one of the most prestigious, and demanding, places where it has been showcased,” says Harrison.