Parkex showcases the latest trends and technologies

Parkex 2017 takes place at Birmingham NEC from 4-6 April

Parkex 2017 is co-located with the biennial Traffic exhibition

Parkex 2017 is co-located with the biennial Traffic exhibition

Parkex, the British Parking Association’s annual conference, celebrates its silver jubilee this year. The three-day parking event runs parallel to Traffex at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

Over 70 companies will be showcasing the latest products and services available to the parking sector in Hall 5 at the NEC between 4-6 April. Companies on show will include payment equipment manufacturers, digital parking solution developers, enforcement IT specialists and traffic mapping services.

Brand new for 2017 is the Innovation Trail, which will provide visitors with the opportunity to locate and engage with a range of cutting edge products and services as they make their way through the exhibition. 

Parkex also hosts a number of free-to-attend seminars, which take place at the Parkex Hub. The seminar programme covers subjects such: as the emergence of the digital high street; how driverless vehicles will impact on the future landscape of parking; and designing the car parks of the future whilst maintaining the car parks of the past.

Keynote speakers will include minister for transport Andrew Jones.

The role of parking in the ‘Digital High Street’ will be debated by Phillip Dunckley from the Department for Communities and Local Government, Ojay MacDonald from the Association of Town and City Management (ACTM) and Fiona Ellis-Chadwick from Loughborough University.

The ways in which concepts such as smart cities, Mobility as a Service and the Internet of Things (IoT) could transform parking will be addressed by Laurence Dudley of Siemens, Amir Sebadi of IPS Group and Jim Short of Smart Parking.

As the digital universe expands, devices that we use everyday become ever more connected. The way in which the parking sector should plan for and engage with connected technology will be debated by Rafael Cepeda from oneTransport, Christina Martinez from Parkopedia and representatives from the RAC Foundation and Carplus.

With new parking payment, IT and enforcement systems capturing enormous amounts of data, understanding how this can, and should, be used is an issue that will be discussed by a panel including Paul Marjoram of Mobile Worker Plus, Christina Martinez of Parkpodia and Phil Wilding of Wright Hassell.

The growing use of electric vehicles and what this means for the parking sector will be discussed by Adam Michell of Power Star, Ed Shires of Strategic Fit and Natalia Silverstone from POD Point.

Designing car parks that can accommodate the needs of electric cars and autonomous vehicles will be among the topics addressed by a panel including Loughborough University’s Fiona Ellis-Chadwick, Louis Fourie of the Clayton Fourie Consultancy and Dan O’Hayer of Emseal.

“Parking has become more involved in the digital revolution and is now part of a more sophisticated conversation around technological innovation,” said Jasvinder Sidhu, event director of Parkex 2017. 

“This innovation is making waves in all areas related to parking from high streets, and hospitals to multi-storey car parks. Parkex 2017 will provide a platform for the very best technology, products and services the sector has to offer. It will challenge the way we think and push the boundaries and the recognition for Mobility as a Service (MaaS). All of which will help deliver a complete exhibition including some of the most forward-thinking technology companies in the parking world.”

Parkex 2017 is a trade-only event and is free to attend.

Visitors can register for tickets at www.parkex.co.uk