The principle hub for domestic flights in New Caledonia, Magenta airport, is located a few kilometers from Nouméa. After redevelopment in 2008, the free parking that was normally intended for public transportation was soon swamped with private passenger cars. Paid parking was then planned for private individuals in order to prevent this problem. A solution involving camera license plate recognition was needed for the opening system to this area.
Mission
The principle hub for domestic flights in New Caledonia, Magenta airport, is located a few kilometers from Nouméa. After redevelopment in 2008, the free parking that was normally intended for public transportation was soon swamped with private passenger cars. After that, buses and taxis dropped off their passengers outside the airport zone. This meant they had to walk a few hundred meters.
Solution
The solution to this problem came in several stages. First came a parking lot for airport employees in 2012. Then came a zone reserved for public transit in 2013. In this zone, barriers and cameras were deployed to monitor the vehicles.
Result
Two cameras watch the entrance to the lot. Connected to an intelligent system, they recognize the license plates of vehicles authorized to enter (buses and taxis). If a vehicle is authorized, the barriers open.
"The simplicity of managing without shuttle services or access badges was indisputably a factor in choosing the solution. In addition, the cameras also allow us to perform video surveillance, which is useful if a driver does a hit and run on the barrier," says Olivier Beal, head of the Office of Aeronautic Infrastructures, Department of Civil Aviation
Disorganized parking
Magenta airport is several kilometers from Nouméa and handles 350,000 passengers a year. After several refurbishments in 2008, the parking area had 266 spaces and a zone reserved for public transportation. Since it was free, the lot was often congested with private cars parked haphazardly and blocking access for public transport. Then buses and taxis dropped off their passengers outside the airport zone.
"The problem for airport authorities was simple: The zone devoted to professional drivers was congested with parked cars. Unable to drive through, buses dropped off their passengers outside the airport, and they had to walk 300 to 500 meters with their luggage.” explains François Ista, TID Solutions.
A complete solution
As a result, other arrangements were considered. First, in 2012, a parking lot reserved for airport personnel was created. Then in 2013, it was decided to isolate the zone reserved for public transit using a video surveillance system. For 2014, paid parking is planned for private individuals in order to prevent the problem of long-term parking.
"The opening system had to be fast, work remotely and be as simple as possible to manage, due to the large number of vehicles accessing the zone (about 260). The solution involving camera license plate recognition appeared to be the one best complying with the criteria. The choice of two cameras reduced the number of unrecognized license plates and allowed backup in case one of the cameras broke down," remarked Olivier Beal, head of the Office of Aeronautic Infrastructures, Department of Civil Aviation. Two
Axis Communications network cameras monitor the entrance to the parking lot. They are connected to an intelligent system developed by Aimetis that allows recognition of license plates and reads the images in real time. If a vehicle's license plate shows up in the database as authorized, the barriers open.
Two Axis Communications network cameras monitor the entrance to the parking lot. They are connected to an intelligent system developed by Aimetis that allows recognition of license plates and reads the images in real time.
However, these changes required some adjustments, such as tests based on the weather and the time of day or night with taxis and buses in association with the Karuïa company. The civil aviation authorities also made announcements in the newspaper and at the airport to let the terminal's users know about the change. Finally, a person was on site eight hours a day to inform drivers that access was forbidden.
"The simplicity of managing without shuttle services or access badges was indisputably a factor in choosing the solution. In addition, the cameras also allow us to perform video surveillance, which is useful if a driver does a hit and run on the barrier," adds Olivier Beal.
"Today the taxis are saving a lot of time: no badge; the barriers open automatically, and it's easier to find a place to drop off passengers. From now on, the Karuïa buses will change their route and start coming back into this zone, where there is a bus shelter for dropping off and picking up passengers. Now people who come to Nouméa finally have public transport that drops them off right in front of Nouméa airport," concludes François Ista.