Why Smart Cities Are Switching to Unity5’s Municipal Parking Software

How Modern Municipal Parking Software Can Solve Urban Complexities

Across the US, municipal leaders are facing a breaking point. The mandate is no longer just to “enforce parking”, it is to manage the curb, reduce congestion, and meet climate goals. Yet, many departments are hindered by rigid, siloed systems that treat residential permits, construction zones, and parking citations as three unrelated events.

While many domestic legacy providers offer “standard” platforms, they often trap cities in a cycle of expensive change orders and disconnected data. The solution to this gridlock lies with a modern municipal parking software, technology designed specifically to handle the density and regulatory complexity of modern cities. To see this software in action, we look at some of the forward-thinking cities Unity5 currently work with in the UK, where high-density councils have already successfully deployed these advanced strategies.

The Connected City Model

For years, many cities have treated permit issuance and enforcement as separate problems. Residents apply for a permit in one portal, while enforcement officers use a completely different handheld system. This disconnect can create a difficult scenario: a resident pays for a permit, but the data doesn’t sync fast enough, resulting in a valid citation that must be appealed.

The Solution: The London Borough of Redbridge eliminated this friction by adopting a truly modern municipal parking software. They connected their enforcement technology directly with their permit management database.

The Result:

• Real-time data sync: A seamless “Park & Permit” experience. When a resident registers a vehicle, that data is instantly pushed to enforcement officers’ handhelds.
• Zero latency: This eliminates the “ambiguity gap,” drastically reducing erroneous citations and the administrative cost of processing appeals. For a US city, this means fewer angry calls to City Hall and a higher collection rate on valid tickets.

Dynamic Access and Traffic Control

US cities are increasingly exploring “Low Traffic Neighborhoods” and “Congestion Zones” to combat gridlock. However, enforcing these complex rules, where residents are exempt, but commuters pay, is impossible with static signage and police patrols alone.

The Solution: Oxfordshire County Council utilized the agility of the Unity5 platform to power their ambitious cleaner air initiative. They implemented a dynamic “permit to travel” scheme using Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR).

The Result:

• Automated eligibility: The system automatically validates exempt vehicles (local residents, emergency services) while flagging unauthorized transient traffic.
• Scalability: The software handles complex “allow lists” in real-time, proving that automated enforcement can be nuanced and fair. For American municipalities looking at “smart curbs” or “school safety zones,” this proves that software can handle the heavy lifting of compliance without needing a police officer on every corner.

Total Curb Management

A truly integrated municipal parking software solution shouldn’t just handle cars, it must manage the entire right-of-way. From dumpsters permits to abandoned vehicles, the curb is crowded. Lambeth Council, one of London’s busiest boroughs, realized that managing these issues via spreadsheets was unsustainable.

The Solution: Lambeth deployed specialized modules for Licensing and Abandoned Vehicle Recovery within the same platform used for parking permits.

The Result:

• Holistic view: Officers can now see a construction permit, a suspended parking bay, and an abandoned vehicle report on a single map.
• Efficiency: Consolidating these functions saved the council tangible time and effort. It demonstrates that a configurable software stack can adapt to the unique “pinch points” of inner-city management, whether that’s street fairs or snow emergency routes.

Unity5 Solutions Offer Access to Occupancy Data

Unity5 offer an access model to ensure that both parking operators and end-users (drivers) have the information they need:

• LPR (License Plate Recognition): Unity5 systems use LPR combined with AI.
• Operator Dashboards: our Zatpark system features a centralized cloud-based portal where managers can track revenue per space, and view historical turnover trends.
• APIs (Application Programming Interfaces): using the most flexible method on the market, Unity5 provides an API that allows parking data to be fed into a client’s existing software, such as a smart city platform or campus app.
• Mobile Apps & Digital Signage: For the end-user (driver), data can be pushed to apps or displayed on roadside VMS (Variable Message Signs) to show exactly how many spots are left.
• Automated Reports: Systems can be set to email daily or weekly PDF/CSV summaries detailing peak hours, overstays, and unauthorized vehicle alerts.

Why Cities Are Moving Away from Legacy Providers

When modernizing, many municipalities default to large, domestic legacy vendors. However, a closer look reveals why these “safe choices” often stall innovation.

• The “rigid tech” trap: Many legacy systems were built decades ago, and adapting them to new ordinances often comes with a additional price tags. Simple changes, like adding a new tiered pricing structure or creating a temporary event permit, frequently require expensive “change requests,” months of development time, and significant professional service fees.

Our platform is designed for self-sufficiency. Municipalities can configure new permit types, adjust pricing models, and modify zones instantly via the back office, at zero additional cost and without waiting for a developer.

• Integrations are key: A smart campus relies on data flow. You need your parking system to talk to your student information system (SIS), your HR payroll for staff permits, and your gate access hardware. Many legacy providers lock you into proprietary ecosystems, making these integrations difficult or costly.

Unity5 is truly hardware agnostic. We do not make cameras, we integrate with them. Whether you want to use existing LPR infrastructure or the latest specialist cameras, our API ensures you can connect any device to your enforcement network without vendor blocking.

Ready to Bring These Results to Your City?

The future of municipal management is digital, connected, and agile. As demonstrated by these forward thinking Councils, a truly integrated municipal parking software transforms parking from a cost center into a driver of efficiency and sustainability.

Ready to bring these results to your city? Speak to one of our friendly experts today by booking a no-obligation discovery call.

About Unity5

Unity5 is the creator of Zatpark - SaaS Solutions For Parking, Enforcement and Environmental Management - Designed for private parking companies and public sector bodies, Zatpark delivers world-class features completely controlling and automating the full lifecycle of parking enforcement data, from issue to recovery action and every step in-between. Built-in ANPR, Moving Traffic Violation Management and dedicated Permit and Kiosk solutions, Zatpark, Zatmobile, Zatpermit, Zatenviro, and Zatpark Flexible Enforcement provide end-to-end management of all your PCN and FPN activities