HUB Parking Technology: An Anti-squat Solution for Carcassonne’s Stores

Carcassonne, located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, is a French city with a rich medieval heritage - so much so that a famous board game bears its name. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, it now has a population of almost 45,000 and, like any modern city, faces the challenges of urban mobility.

The project in question today concerns the reorganization of the mixed-use and commercial parking lot at 32, av Franklin Roosevelt, carried out by HUB France on behalf of Société Immobilière du Parc, the owner of the premises.

Located in the heart of Carcassonne, close to the freeway, the parking lot was suffering from squatting. So-called “buffer” vehicles, often linked to carpooling, were occupying the spaces for long periods, preventing customers from parking in the shops.

Opposite this parking area, twelve retailers with a variety of activities - real estate company, training center, hairdresser, bakery, auction house, driving school among others - each had specific needs, linked to the nature of their offer and the profile of their clientele.

Site-Specific Challenges

• The first challenge for HUB France was to manage the influx of several hundred users, while avoiding queues and meeting the expectations of an increasingly digitally-oriented clientele.
• The second challenge was to adjust the parking offer available to users: in small towns, paid parking for shopping is still unusual. A balance had to be achieved between providing enough free parking time to enable customers to do their shopping, and setting a limit that would dissuade drivers tempted to monopolize spaces for longer

Among the solutions considered were more traditional systems: validating the parking ticket by scanning, entering the license plate on a terminal (such as the Valiprint from the old Zeag system), or handing over a label by the shopkeeper.

Deemed more time-consuming, these methods have been largely discarded by retailers in favor of the J4M digital platform, combined with a free 20-minute ticket.

The Solution Proposed by HUB France

The chosen solution was the installation of a hybrid Jupiter configuration, combining a ticket with QR code and automated license plate reading (LPR). This system enables fast, fluid management of entrances and exits, while providing immediate assistance via an intercom integrated into the terminal.  

To ensure that parking spaces are reserved for genuine customers, the operator has chosen to use the J4M Merchant application for retailers. This enables them to offer free parking to their customers, while protecting their spaces against misuse - and, consequently, preserving their sales.

Owner Mr Menard, from Société immobilière du Parc, comments: "This solution is a real anti-squatting approach for the stores, guaranteeing them enough parking spaces for their customers and securing the site. We will also be offering subscription solutions for nearby residents through JPass".

360° Operation and Control of the Parking Lot

Thanks to the JMS management system, property staff can monitor parking lot flows and transactions in real time via a centralized control panel. Hosted in the cloud, the system enables remote control from any workstation, with comprehensive functionalities:

• Maintenance management
• Monitoring of validation statistics via J4M,
• Accounting administration with 24/7 data access

This concrete remote operation solution also integrates 24/7 user assistance, provided by the LinkView intercom system - a long-standing partner for HUB France - on all kiosks: the system is thus predisposed to provide the best possible experience.

Future Parking Developments on the Site

The JPass mobile application (standard solution) is being rolled out, enabling residents to reserve monthly, quarterly or annual parking passes simply by entering their license plate.

The management of these subscriptions will be totally autonomous, with no human intervention or direct contact with the operator. The offer will be promoted via a signpost displaying a QR code for easy registration and downloading of the application.

Designed to optimize every aspect of the parking experience, the advanced Jupiter system offers efficiency, safety and comfort to all users of the Carcassonne site.

A project of which HUB France can be proud - congratulations to the whole team on this great success!

About HUB Parking Technology

HUB Parking Technology is the brand of FAAC Technologies that develops, manufactures, installs, and provides after-sales services for Parking Access and Revenue Control Systems. HUB controls all product phases from design to code writing, to distribution, installation, and post-installation support through an extensive network of company branches and value-added partners worldwide.

HUB product range, Jupiter, is designed for long term performance, to future-proof the operators and owners’ investments: thanks to scalable features and enhanced serviceability, it streamlines the parking experience for users while providing a profitable and easy to manage solution to operators. HUB software allows PARCS management 24/7 from anywhere, through a multi-tenant cloud and/or on-premises architecture. Consumer mobile apps for reservation and operator apps for validation complete the system range with solutions catering to transient and contract parkers. Visit www.hubparking.com to learn more.