Car park operator NCP is installing networked security systems in its major, city centre car parks.
Car park operator NCP is installing networked security systems in its major, city centre car parks. In Cardiff, for example, a control centre, pictured, monitors 43 intercoms and 84 CCTV cameras, installed throughout nine car parks. Complus Teltronic intercom slave units are installed in the pay on foot machines and entry and exit barriers. Each car park office has its own desktop master station and GE100 local control unit which is networked to a GE700 central control unit in the control room. Network connection is via a mixture of fibre optic cable and leased telephone lines. When a member of the public presses a button at a pay on foot or barrier stations, the call is routed to the local car park office with the identity of the calling station being indicated on the master station display. Integration with the CCTV system directs a camera towards the caller and switches it to one of 30 monitors. If a call is not answered within an NCP-defined time, it is automatically re-routed via the network to the main, 24-hour control centre. The intercom system has capacity for expansion when more car parks will be added to the network. Martin Price, NCP Car Park Manager in Cardiff reports the speech quality is excellent and that the system has significantly improved day-to-day running of the car parks. Bill McLean, NCP Regional Director, says: ?We are determined to stamp out car crime and believe these control centres act as a strong deterrent to the petty criminal. NCP is dedicated to enhancing the whole experience of car parking, improving other security measures such as lighting, whilst at the same time, looking at various time-saving on-site services (such as car cleaning, windscreen/tyre replacement etc). We are confident our customers will be reassured by the security measures we have taken in Cardiff and the improvements we continue to make to all our car parking sites.? NCP has direct links to the police in the event of incidents.
