Ben Kettell, Author at MVIS Ltd

The 5 Benefits of Radar Activated VMS

Posted on 25th July 2022 at 1:00 pm.

The highly versatile VMS-A is used across various industries such as highways, construction, events, airports and ports. A VMS-A (variable message sign) with radar expands upon its functionality across a range of applications and provides many great additional benefits. Furthermore, it still includes all the features of our standard VMS-A.

The five benefits of a radar activated VMS-A:

Speed Specific Messaging – a default message can be set on the sign, for example, “Please drive carefully through road works”. If a vehicle exceeds the set speed, the message can be overridden with a speed roundel.

Speed detection – the signs can be set to display the speed of approaching vehicles, alerting drivers of their speed and advising them to slow down.

A simple thank you message – as well as informing oncoming vehicles if they are exceeding the speed limit, it can also display a message or pictogram thanking drivers who are adhering to the set speed limit. This will encourage them to continue to drive safely.

Data collection – the radar can also provide vehicle logs, recording time, date and speed of vehicles.

Environmentally friendly – All our VMS are solar powered and use low-power consuming LEDs, making the VMS-A an environmentally friendly choice. There’s also an option to show a message only when a vehicle is detected, which further reduces power consumption.

If you would like to find out more about how the VMS-A with radar could work for your next project, please get in touch with our Sales team on 01629 580 570 or email sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Supporting Sparkle Night Walk 2022

Posted on 18th July 2022 at 2:57 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

On Saturday 9th July, thousands from North Derbyshire and the surrounding areas came together to walk 10km and raise vital funds for Ashgate Hospice in the Sparkle Night Walk 2022.

Ashgate Hospice is a local charity based in Chesterfield that we have worked with and supported extensively in recent years. They provide end-of-life care, free of charge to patients with a life-limiting illness and their families across North Derbyshire. They rely on the generosity of our community and businesses like us to raise millions of pounds each year to help fund their specialist and brilliant care.

Last year, we supported the 2021 Sparkle Walk and we are proud to have done the same this year by deploying our signs in the lead-up to the event and on the night. Due to the scale of the annual Sparkle Walk, several main roads around the area are required to close so it is important to provide warnings in advance to help reduce risk.

In the last financial year, we raised an amazing £13,733.38 for Ashgate Hospice by sponsoring their High Peak Trail Walk, as well as other fundraising initiatives like an office bake off and their Treecycle initiative, in which several of our staff volunteered to help collect Christmas trees.

Whilst the amount raised for this year’s Sparkle Walk is yet to be determined, it is believed to be in the region of around £200,000. Every penny raised will go towards their care and helping nurses be there for families throughout Derbyshire who desperately need them.

Rachel Broughton from Ashgate Hospice comments, “I’d like to thank MVIS for providing the road signs on the night and in the lead up to the event. You helped us not only put on an enjoyable and safe event but also saved us money which can now be redirected to help our nurses to provide their crucial care through all hours of the day and night to patients and their loved ones and for this, we are incredibly grateful.”

New Marketing Manager Welcomed by MVIS

Posted on 12th July 2022 at 1:54 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

As a small team, it is always sad when a member of staff departs but with a new employee comes new skills and fresh ideas. Last week, we celebrated our 10th anniversary and also a new face in our in-house Marketing Department.

We’re delighted to announce that Ben Kettell has joined us as our new Marketing Manager. Ben is an experienced marketeer and Marketing Manager in addition to having expert skills in graphic design. He will be working alongside Alex Handley, our Marketing Executive who has recently been promoted from Marketing Assistant and Ben Ashman, our Data Assistant. Together, they will continue to grow and improve our marketing channels.

Prior to working in the hospitality industry as Marketing Manager for two of Derby’s most established businesses, Ben has worked in marketing for a number of respectable B2B and B2C companies in the travel and retail industry.

Ben is now in his second week at MVIS and is starting to get to grips with an exciting new industry and our wide range of products and solutions. Outside of work, Ben is a passionate Derby County supporter and regularly attends home and away matches.

Ben Kettell comments, “I am delighted to join the MVIS team. Their enthusiasm for their work and expertise is unrivalled I can’t wait to get stuck in. I look forward to sharing ideas and working with the entire workforce to grow MVIS in new and exciting sectors along with building on the strong foundations already in place.”

Anne Ashman, UK Group Commercial and Operations Director comments, “Ben really impressed us in the interview process and I have no doubt that he will be a great addition to our Marketing Department and the MVIS team. He brings with him a solid set of marketing and creative skills that will help to expand and improve our current marketing infrastructure.”

Compact Solar IP Brings New Solutions to Urban Works

Posted on 31st May 2022 at 10:13 am.

Written by Ben Kettell

Recent years have seen the development of our Compact Solar IP, a solar powered ‘compact’ base that can be integrated with other technology to power it and make it portable.

The base was first developed for our HD Compact VMS, the smallest solar powered variable message sign in our range and a pioneering solution for the industry. Since the HD Compact’s launch, we have developed more technologies with the compact base, giving rise to a whole new solution that offers many of the benefits that our full sized Solar IP does, serving as an industrial portable solar power bank – only smaller.

The small footprint of the Compact Solar IP allows it to be deployed in locations where the Solar IP can’t be, primarily in locations where space may be limited, such as for urban works. As a result, the solutions developed alongside the Compact Solar IP have been with these customers in mind, making technologies portable for urban workers that help increase safety.

HD Compact VMS

The first of our solutions to use the Compact Solar IP was the HD Compact VMS, which began to feature this base in 2020 on its second version after nearly 4 years of development, bringing it in line with our other solar powered VMS units and allowing us to offer a fully solar powered VMS range in different sizes.

As a solution, the HD Compact offers the industry a lightweight, portable, solar powered message sign that features a dual colour (red and white) display.

Its small footprint and adjustable height make it highly versatile, especially considering the display content can be updated remotely via our web-based portal or mobile app.

With hidden cabling, this unit is secured against vandalism or accidental damage and benefits from the data collection radar integrated in all our signs.

Compact CCTV

A more recent development, the Compact CCTV integrates the Compact Solar IP with wire-free CCTV offering increased portability and a reduced footprint compared to other solutions.

This outdoor surveillance camera boasts an ultra-wide viewing angle of 355° pan & 140° tilt and connects through Vodafone 4G. Offering 1080p HD at 15 frames per second and a 6x Digital Zoom, this camera performs well for a range of applications, made even more impressive by the 10m Night Vision range.

Its PIR (passive infrared) detection distance is up to 10m too and when combined with the 90° Horizontal PIR detecting angle, this camera is a highly capable solution for security, monitoring work zones and anything else that requires an outdoor HD camera.

This unit is especially useful for urban works, as the full-sized Solar IP can often have a footprint too large for urban work sites, limiting its use in such projects. The Compact CCTV has been developed to address this limitation, allowing site managers to still have eyes on the ground even when there is limited space.

Compact Environmental Sensor

Another recent solution we have developed is our Compact Environmental Sensor, which integrates the Compact Solar IP with an ITS Environmental Sensor, offering clients the ability to monitor the external environment and produce a wide range of air pollution data that can be used to inform and direct on issues of air pollution safety.

This solution is a low-cost system that offers the ability to build a high-density ambient air quality monitoring network that records data in real-time. Perfect for temporary applications, this solution offers a very low cost alternative to static Air Quality monitoring stations and allows clients to cover more space, quickly and cost effectively.

This product’s bespoke hardware is manufactured in the UK and uses the latest generation of electrochemical sensor technology and LoRaWAN communication to collect and record real-time data onto its secure online dashboard.

For more information about our Compact Solar IP or if you would like to know more about how you can use our products to help with your project, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

MVIS Achieve Constructionline Platinum

Posted on 25th May 2022 at 2:19 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

MVIS is not a company to back down from a challenge. As a responsible supplier to the industry, we have always prioritised quality, safety and good business practices, which is underscored by our membership and accreditations with various awarding bodies.

Last year, we were awarded Gold Status in the Constructionline programme, which offers a platform for thousands of buyers in the construction industry that enforces an ethos of trust and quality amongst its members.

Assessing all members, the Constructionline platform is used by buyers to quickly find suppliers that will enable them to complete a whole range of projects in the industry by providing them with a pool of high-quality suppliers that they can engage with confidently.

This year, we are proud to announce that we have recently been awarded with Platinum Status following a successful audit from Constructionline that assessed all relevant management systems and processes. The audit demonstrated that we are following their procedures and that there are adequate controls in place.

Platinum is the top level of membership within Constructionline, reassuring customers that we adhere to best practice. Our processes and policies were assessed on environmental management, quality management, equal opportunities, modern slavery act adherence and anti-bribery and corruption policies.

Whilst achieving Platinum Status may seem like a high climb for many, for us, it was very achievable, having been already developing these areas for other certifications and of course, our ISO accreditations.

Anne Ashman, UK Group Commercial and Operations Director comments, “Achieving Constructionline Platinum Status is a great accomplishment for us, adding to a long list of accreditations and memberships that help to promote and enforce our commitment to safety, quality and customer service. Constructionline Platinum was a logical next step from Gold, recognising the effort and care that has gone into adhering to Constructionline practices.”

Anne continues, “I am very proud of the whole team for all the work that goes into achieving something like this. Whilst this is a time we should celebrate our success, it’s important that we never lose sight of our continuing mission to improve.”

High Speed Work Zone Messaging

Posted on 25th May 2022 at 1:23 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

Over the years, MVIS have cultivated a solid reputation in the industry for service, reliability and quality of products. Whilst working traditionally in traffic management applications, our technology can be applied to accomplish a wide range of goals in a work zone, from helping to reduce site vehicle speeds, to managing the working environment to keep people safe, our portable solar powered units offer solutions that could underpin the future of work zone communication.

VMS-A / VMS-C

With a 5-colour LED display for text or pictograms, the solar powered VMS-A and the larger VMS-C are ideal solutions for communicating important messages.

Whilst these units are a popular solution for traffic management, our portable variable message sign (VMS) are also used in an incredibly wide range of applications and markets. For work zones, these signs are not only great for general messaging needs, but they are also ideal to help with many issues that could be present on-site.

For example, a common issue seen on some work sites is speeding vehicles. Vehicles travelling faster than the set speed limit is exceptionally dangerous considering the risks involved in such an environment.

Using our VMS-A or VMS-C, you can help control site speed with a 2-pronged approach. Not only can our signs be used to display a speed roundel to remind drivers of the speed limit, but with their integrated speed activation sensor, the signs can also display a ‘SLOW DOWN’ message or something similar that is triggered by a driver exceeding the speed limit.

The VMS-A and C could even be used to track and measure success on this. All units contain a data collection radar that collects traffic flow data on trends in speed, time and date. Using this data, site managers can track speed trends, identify if and where there is a problem, and therefore take further steps to negate these issues.

For road, highways or utilities construction, our Journey Time Solution that can also be enabled on the VMS-A or VMS-C means road users can be kept up to date with delays and/or updates, helping to manage driver’s expectations and calm traffic around the construction zone.

There are few construction sites that wouldn’t benefit from increased surveillance. As the industry works hard to consistently improve standards of health and safety, increased surveillance is a potential route to help influence behaviour, monitor incidents and increase accountability in any work zone.

One of our latest innovations sees a CCTV camera integrated with a VMS-A, which offers a special surveillance / feedback solution that can be used to influence behaviour and communicate with drivers, pedestrians and workers, helping keep everyone confident in the knowledge that their actions are being monitored to ensure safety and the adherence to best practice.

There is also the obvious security benefits of having a portable CCTV VMS on-site. Thieves who may be looking to target contraction sites will likely think twice before trespassing after seeing such a visible warning that they are on CCTV. The portability of these units also offers site managers the option to have the sign relocated for increased security, preventing thieves from planning too much ahead of time.

HD Compact VMS

Traditionally used to communicate to drivers and pedestrians in urban areas, the solar powered HD Compact VMS is our smallest portable VMS unit and is ideal for construction sites where space is limited.

The HD Compact offers a highly portable and easy to update solution for managing the movement and behaviour of pedestrians and on-site employees.

The bright, red and white LED display boasts a 20mm pixel pitch and makes an impact anywhere. For construction sites, the smaller 2-colour HD Compact is a perfect choice for recording works traffic speed and volume, displaying text, pictograms and animated messages, just like the VMS-A and VMS-C.

Hidden cabling means this unit is secure from vandalism or accidental damage and also benefits from the data collection radar that is integrated in all of our signs.

In recent years, the HD Compact has been developed to better serve construction sites too, giving rise to the Overhead Service Unit.

The Overhead Service Unit is positioned in advance of overhead structures and services where work is being carried out. The unit was developed to further enhance site safety for the workforce by using editable text or pictograms to warn in advance of overhead obstructions.

Web Studio / BartcoLive App

All of our portable VMS units can be updated and monitored using a browser or mobile device.

Using Web Studio on browser or the BartcoLive App on a smartphone or mobile device, clients can display text, pictograms or recreate all sorts of images such as logos on our VMS-A, VMS-C and HD Compact.

Works Egress Safety Solution

The Works Egress Safety Solutions combines the messaging power of the HD Compact and the VMS C (or a VMS A if the application demands) into one solution that ensures that drivers are notified when works traffic is exiting a work zone on to the main carriageway.

An HD Compact VMS unit is located at the beginning of the acceleration zone within the works area. An integrated sensor in the HD Compact is triggered by the approaching works vehicle, presenting a message that instructs the driver to ‘MERGE WHEN SAFE’ or similar.

It also triggers a VMS A or VMS C to display a message to road users to alert them of works traffic joining the carriageway.

This sign is deployed before the works egress, facing the carriageway so that drivers have warning that a works vehicle is merging. Site managers can even add more information such as ‘WORKS TRAFFIC MERGING 200YDS’, for example.

When there is no works traffic merging, after a set time, both signs revert to a blank display, maximising reliability by saving battery life.

If you would like to learn more about how our products can benefit your work zone, please contact us via our contact form. Alternatively, you can call us on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team, or you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

The Importance of Having the Correct Certifications

Posted on 25th May 2022 at 1:17 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

Working on any site brings a host of responsibilities to site managers and workers to ensure that they are working safely and responsibly. This is especially true of road construction and in order to keep these standards of safety high, certain projects require stringent policies and training to be adhered to, along with the right qualifications and accreditations to boot.

High speed projects, such as those for National Highways and Tier 1 contractors are an example of such projects, many of them being high profile and affecting a lot of people, from the workers themselves to drivers using the national road network. Because of this, organisations who are required to service these sites are all required to hold the right certifications, which may include CSCS cards or first aid training.

Without having these certifications, workers, delivery drivers and those deploying solutions to the site will not even be permitted entry onto it. This could cause a serious issue for a project, which are often set to strict deadlines and require our solutions for uncompromising safety reasons.

For example, portable VMS could be crucial for a project to help warn drivers that works are being conducted, to give advanced warning of the disruption to the road network, to inform on journey time delays or even to communicate a new speed limit in force. A project that requires portable VMS for one of these reasons may have to be put on hold if the delivery technicians deploying the units don’t have the correct certifications to be permitted on site to deliver them.

Aside from the safety implications during works being conducted, without VMS, there may also be safety concerns in the lead up to a project.

VMS are one of the first things that need to be on site for many projects, displaying safety messages with advanced notification of disruption before work begins. If signs have not been deployed in time because the delivery team have not been permitted entry onto the site, it may cause frustration or confusion amongst drivers when the works do start, which could be potentially dangerous.

And it’s not just a lack of VMS that could cause issues. Many of our solar powered ITS trailer-based solutions are deployed for planning and safety applications in high-speed applications.

For example, our Solar IP unit with integrated HD Data Collection Radar allows site managers to measure and analyse traffic flow, equipping them with the data needed for planning what other safety measures are required when the works go ahead. Likewise, our Solar IP integrated with Low Light CCTV allows site managers to have eyes on the ground at all times, even during the night, offering increased protection and accountability to workers when the project starts.

Without these solutions in place, worker and driver safety may be highly compromised. This could cause a ripple effect along the whole project, which may not be able to even start until the correct solutions have been delivered, costing more time, money and most importantly, leaving roads unsafe for drivers for longer than needed.

Here at MVIS, we understand this all too well. Having worked with the likes of National Highways and Tier 1 contractors for over a decade, we have gained a wealth of invaluable experience that helps us to understand better than most the importance of having the correct certifications and training. Not only this, but we also hold safety as one of our core principals, building it into every aspect of our business operations and consideration.

Anne Ashman, UK Group Commercial and Operations Director comments, “The idea of sending a team to a site without the correct certifications is unthinkable for us. MVIS hold one of the best reputations in the industry for high-speed work and this is especially true when it comes to safety.”

However, it doesn’t just stop there. Our Platinum Service Promise outlines what we consider to be ‘Platinum Level Service’ and also highlights just how special our services are. Our sterling reputation exceeds beyond high-speed works, having been providing excellent service to customers on all kinds of projects, no matter the size or customer for many years.

We apply the strictest levels of safety to not only high-speed works, but also urban works, events and any other job we work on, for the safety of our own team, our customers and the general public.

This is why you can trust MVIS to deliver every time.

Portable CCTV Brings Benefits to the Security Industry

Posted on 18th May 2022 at 1:39 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

Surveillance is a growing and important aspect of keeping society safe, with a wide range of applications from monitoring construction zones to influencing behaviour or enforcing laws. One of the best avenues for surveillance is CCTV, which has been an integral part of the security industry for a long time, offering a cheaper, safer and more efficient solution than having a physical presence.

For many, CCTV is proven to be a reliable solution. However, there are many applications within this industry where fixed CCTV is not a viable solution. For temporary or roaming security projects, a fixed CCTV system could end up being highly expensive or impractical.

MVIS supply portable CCTV solutions that are ideal for such applications, offering superior products in many ways to fixed iterations.

Compact Portable CCTV

The Compact CCTV integrates wire-free CCTV with our solar powered Compact Base, offering increased portability and a reduced footprint compared to other solutions.

This unit is especially useful for projects where space is limited, as the full-sized Solar IP can often have a footprint too large for urban work sites, limiting its use in such projects. The Compact CCTV has been developed to address this limitation, allowing site managers to still have eyes on the ground even when there is limited space.

CCTV VMS

Our Portable CCTV VMS Solution discreetly integrates an IP65 HD CCTV camera with our VMS-A, allowing you to have eyes on the ground without having to be physically present on-site, creating a surveillance and feedback solution that can be used to monitor and respond to situations quickly.

As a tried and tested traffic / crowd control solution, the original 5-colour Bartco portable VMS are often used by councils, retail, events management and many other industries to communicate vital information and safety messages all over the UK.

Featuring a 5-colour LED display for text or pictograms, the VMS-A is versatile and requires no external power source.

Messages can be updated remotely by your team or ours, via a web-based portal that can publish changes in seconds, allowing you to respond to the situation as it changes.

Integrating CCTV with our VMS allows you to monitor and record situations without having a member of staff physically there. The visible presence of CCTV is well known to influence behaviour and help enforce rules, allowing the combined use of these units to offer an effective information, surveillance and feedback solution.

Fitted with a VSIM from Vodafone as standard or compatible with any UK SIM card (purchased separately), users can connect to the camera using a smartphone or the Windows & Mac client.

Low Light CCTV

Our Portable Low Light CCTV has brought a new level of CCTV quality to portable applications. This product was made possible by the combination of The Invictus HD camera from 360 Vision with our Solar IP.

Producing an incredibly clear picture and performing excellently in low light conditions, this camera is low in power demands but still offers an HD image.

The Invictus HD camera itself offers a fully ruggedized housing, with exceptional build quality. The toughened optical glass window features a wiper and its Pan & Tilt gearbox is ultra-reliable and resilient. The defining feature, however, could be argued to be its integrated high-performance IR lights with intelligent control, which enables its powerful performance in low light conditions.

As a result of the low power demands of this unit, it is able to perform to extended run times, filling a strong market requirement for a CCTV product that is also portable, solar powered and has a much clearer image than seen in previous solutions on the market.

This unit is ideal for locations where night-time street lighting may be lacking, which could represent a potential serious risk for pedestrians. It is also ideal to help monitor events that take place in the dark or at night time, such as live performances.

All these solutions offer online monitoring platforms that allow users to monitor things in real time, helping them to stay responsive to situations as they occur. They are also able to record, equipping users with video evidence of incidents which is highly important to the security industry.

For more information about our Compact CCTV, CCTV VMS, or Low Light CCTV and how they can be applied to other applications in the security industry, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

Posted on 12th May 2022 at 5:00 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

We know that mental health has been one of the biggest causes of death in the construction and highways industries for many years now. In 2020, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) published a report that showed 26% of respondents had considered taking their own lives in the previous year. The report also showed that high percentages of respondents suffered with issues such as depression, stress, anxiety and fatigue.

Following the pandemic and the far-reaching consequences of multiple lockdowns in the UK, we are also now facing a cost-of-living crisis that is impacting everyone in one way or another.

As an employer, we are required now more than ever to turn our attention to mental health. For MVIS and Bartco UK, mental health has always been of high importance. We have taken a number of steps over the years to safeguard the wellbeing and mental health of our team. Working in an industry that suffers with high suicide rates, it is of vital importance that we stay one step ahead when it comes to mental health.

One of the more recent developments we have introduced was the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), an anonymous advice and support service offered by Peninsula.

Peninsula’s EAP service offers our team a well-rounded approach to good mental health and wellbeing. The EAP helps our team overcome their toughest life challenges and deliver their best every day. It includes 24/7 telephone advice, face-to-face counselling and a suite of online and mobile tools to help staff stay happy and healthy.

According to Peninsula, an EAP can “reduce mental health related absence levels by as much as 45% and improve productivity by as much as 8%.” But more importantly, “it helps protect your staff.”

We also offer staff access to 3 qualified mental health first aiders, 2 female and 1 male. Our mental health first aiders are Rebecca Prince Bartco UK’s Purchasing & Stock Control Supervisor, Jon Larkins, North Delivery Supervisor the UK Group Commercial and Operations Director for both MVIS and Bartco UK, Anne Ashman.

This diverse offering allows our team to pick the mental health first aider they feel most comfortable speaking with, meaning that they are more likely to talk openly and honestly about their concerns.

Anne comments, “The mental health of our team is one of our top priorities. In recent years, mental health has started to become a hot topic for businesses as everyone starts to realise how important it is. Here at MVIS and Bartco UK, we have been working with our staff for a long time now on ways we can best safeguard their well-being and mental health, equipping us with the solid support system we have in place today.”

Anne continues, “But just because we have a good support system in place, it doesn’t mean the job is done. Our focus on mental health remains a priority for us, as we continue to overcome new challenges to mental health that may arise. Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 is the perfect opportunity to lead by example and showcase the measures we have taken for our team.”

How Versatile is the VMS-A?

Posted on 11th May 2022 at 1:37 pm.

Written by Ben Kettell

Designed for messaging on roads under 50mph and typically targeted toward High Speed and Traffic Management industries, the VMS-A over the years has proven itself to be highly capable when it comes to urban deployments.

The VMS-A is one of our most popular units, with its versatility allowing it to serve a wide range of applications. It is perfect for urban environments as it has the required size and messaging capability, but is smaller than a VMS-C which makes it more portable and versatile. Its relatively small footprint allows it to be deployed in locations with limited space, such as car parks or high streets.

Urban Deployments

The COVID-19 pandemic saw many VMS-A units deployed into new areas, such as retail and on high streets in town or city centres to help spread messaging. The VMS-A’s messaging power can also be leveraged for displaying messaging and updates to the public in situations such as emergencies, festivals, and events. Such situations may call for strong messaging especially if they attract large numbers of people, allowing the capability of VMS-A to really shine.

The VMS-A can be operated remotely via a web browser or smartphone device which is ideal for urban environments as messaging may need to be changed frequently and access can be limited. You can also set it up for scheduled operation and vehicle activation so that it doesn’t display messages when it isn’t needed.

Using Web Studio or the BartcoLive App, clients can display more than just the expected traffic signalling pictograms and recreate all sorts of images as the VMS-A boasts a brilliant 5 colour LED display.

Optional integrations such as CCTV or the ITS Integrated Environmental Sensor allow the VMS-A to double up as a multifunctional unit that can either increase security and safety or serve as a low-cost air quality monitoring station. Its built-in data collection radar makes it ideal for bustling towns and city centres as it can collect traffic trend data on date, time and speed.

Parking Applications

One of the biggest areas we have seen our technology thrive in is in parking applications. The VMS-A can help clear up confusion, directing drivers and pedestrians in situations where certain stores or areas of a car park may be closed.

A good example of this use is with Barnsley Council, which used 2x VMS-A signs in late 2020 in a central car park to help communicate important COVID messaging to people before they entered Barnsley town centre.

By deploying a VMS-A in key locations, local authorities can also raise awareness of their Park and Ride services, as well as other newly developed parking provisions. A great example of this is our work with Oxfordshire County Council, which in late 2020 used 8x VMS-A units to help combat congestion in the city centre.

The messaging power of the VMS-A in terms of its screen size can also help with directing people to the correct areas in very large car parks, such as at conferences, stadiums or arenas. For car parks with limited space, we even offer a portable VMS with a smaller footprint than the VMS-A known as the HD Compact. This unit is our smallest VMS, but despite its small size, it still packs a huge amount of functionality.

If you would like to learn more about our VMS-A, please contact us via our contact form. Alternatively, you can call us on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team, or you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Parking Solutions

Posted on 11th May 2022 at 11:05 am.

Written by Ben Kettell

Over the years, we have seen many applications for our technology, showing us and our customers just how versatile our solar powered ITS equipment can be.

One of the biggest areas we have seen our technology thrive is in parking applications, serving messaging and security requirements. In recent years, car parks all over the UK were thrown into confusion with retail and business closures – some more than temporary. Local authorities were also charged with spreading important messaging, often using central car parks as a point to disseminate this information. Our solutions were on hand to assist a wide range of organisations with the chaos, brining increased safety and clarity to the situation, helping to keep Britain moving.

Our solutions are still being used in car parks across the nation to help ease common problems that car parks experience.

Wayfinding

One of the biggest aspects in parking that our technology can assist with is in matters of wayfinding. Our solar powered, portable Variable Message Signs can help clear up confusion, directing drivers and pedestrians in situations where certain stores or areas of a car park may be closed. Such an application is vital when many stores are closed. Wayfinding for parking applications is essential to sign post any stores that may have closed permanently or for any construction projects that change the flow of traffic.

Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton is a great example of how well our signs can be applied to this application. Recently, Middlebrook Retail Park used our VMS-A signs to help direct drivers to the right area in response to many stores closing, helping to control the flow of traffic and deliver drivers to the correct location within the car park for the store they were after.

Robert Hallworth, Centre Director for The Emerson Group, who manage Middlebrook Retail Park commented, “I have been using MVIS signs for 5 years now and they really help communicate quickly with a large number of shoppers coming to site. During the pandemic they have been invaluable to get messages to the public. […] support at MVIS is excellent and their in-house team can change signs in seconds when needed, making them a highly effective tool in high traffic situations. We deal with over 100,000 cars a week and have a football stadium on site.”

They may also help with directing people to the correct areas in very large car parks, such as the ones seen at conference centres, at arenas or stadium venues for example. A crowd control application like this is also commonly used at festivals and large events, helping to direct the behaviour of many people using a clear and easy to update source of information.

For car parks with limited space however, we even offer a portable VMS with a smaller footprint than the VMS-A. The HD Compact is our smallest VMS, yet despite its small size, it packs a huge amount of functionality, featuring a dual colour display, solar power base and integrated data collection radar.

Promotion

Our signs can also be applied to a wider application for parking. In some cases, having adequate parking can make a huge difference in a town or city centre when it comes to traffic congestion. Many town and city centres offer a ‘Park and Ride’ system that allows visitors to park their vehicle outside of the city and use public transport to then travel into the centre, reducing traffic and pollution.

However, one of the biggest challenges local authorities have regarding this kind of parking is promotion, that is, making drivers aware of the provision to encourage them to use the Park and Ride service.

Using our signs deployed in key locations, local authorities can raise awareness of Park and Ride services, as well as other newly developed parking provisions.

An ideal example of this can be found with Oxfordshire County Council, who in late 2020 used 8x VMS-A units to help combat congestion in the city centre.

Signs were strategically deployed throughout the city on main roads leading into the centre to give maximum exposure to the message that they wanted drivers entering Oxford to use the Park and Ride rather than drive around the city in a vehicle.

In feedback to us, an Oxfordshire County Council Traffic Systems Technical Officer commented that the signs were “really clear and consistent” and that they were “really happy with everything and would not hesitate to use again”.

Regarding our customer service, the Technical Officer added that it was, “brilliant, the whole team were very reactive and helpful,” and when it came to using our proprietary Web Studio to change the messages on the signs, she reported that it was “super easy to use” and “so much better than the system we have for our fixed signs.” She added, “The team were excellent when we needed signs moving or anything changing.”

Likewise, our signs were used in preparation for one of the oldest agricultural shows in the UK, the Bakewell Show for the same reason. Janet Bailey, Bakewell Show Manager said, “MVIS provided us with an excellent solution for both our traffic management and promotional needs for the show. The signs placed on the major access routes advertising the Park and Ride scheme were a tremendous success. Our Park and Ride operating company noticed a significant increase in customers using the scheme compared to previous years.” Janet added, “Feedback from the general public and the police was very positive with many comments on the visual impact of the colour graphics and text messages.”

Charities have even used our signs in car parks to help promote fundraisers to local audiences. Ashgate Hospice, for example, use a VMS-A deployed in a local supermarket car park to help raise awareness of their upcoming events to get maximum visibility.

Enforcement

It’s not just our signs that can be used for parking applications.

Our Solar IP is a highly versatile product that can be used to grant power to other technologies that are traditionally fixed or require mains power. One such technology is ANPR, which, in partnership with parking companies or ANPR suppliers, helps to enforce parking restrictions at car parks all over the country.

Horizon Parking, for example use our Solar IPs to grant portability to their ANPR units. Whilst Horizon would ordinarily utilise fixed ANPR units, there are some car parks and locations that can’t facilitate fixed power solutions. Horizon’s Solar IPs allow them to supply such locations with their usual ANPR parking provision without having to invest in new or different ANPR cameras.

ANPR technology in a parking application can help to monitor drivers to ensure that they aren’t breaking stated restrictions, such as return frequency, unauthorised parking in forbidden areas, keeping necessary parking spaces clear or length of a driver’s stay, making it essential for parking companies.

It can also be used to collect data, giving site managers the ability to identify periods of high demand, helping analysts better manage future traffic requirements. Allowing you to collect data such as vehicle quantities or arrival times gives operations coordinators the opportunity to learn about visitors in a way that can help preparation and planning. This could be a highly important function for car parks that face high demand, such as airport car parks, or provide a wider service function, as car wash car parks do.

Operating automatically, this highly portable solution could even auto-detect vehicles as they pass through the field of view, or it can be linked to an external trigger for weigh in motion capture or other applications where only specific vehicles are required to be detected.

Security & Surveillance

Our Solar IP can also be integrated with CCTV, which offers car parks increased security. Our Solar Powered Low Light CCTV solution, when deployed in a car park, can allow site managers to record and respond to situations as they occur. The visible presence of CCTV is well known to influence behaviour and help enforce rules.

Having that extra level of security adds increased protection for drivers using a car park with CCTV, which could even be offered as a premium feature, helping to ease the sting of charging for its use. Indeed, some drivers may even be happy to pay for parking if they know that their vehicle is under surveillance.

For car parks with limited space, we have recently developed the ‘Compact CCTV’ unit, which utilises our ‘Compact’ solar base to power a wire-free CCTV camera that boasts an ultra-wide viewing angle of 355° pan & 140° tilt and connects through Vodafone 4G. This unit is ideal for smaller car parks or those with a limited budget, offering a low-cost smaller solution that, with its 3m high mast, can monitor car park security effectively.

We have also recently developed a portable VMS with integrated CCTV. The Portable CCTV VMS Solution discreetly integrates a CCTV camera with our VMS-A, allowing you to have eyes on the ground without having to be physically present on-site, creating a surveillance and feedback solution that can be used to monitor driver and pedestrian behaviour without having to be on-site.

Innovation

One of the advantages of our products is their sheer versatility in terms of applications. In many ways, every deployment we manage is a unique project with its own requirements and demands. Here at MVIS, we see this as an important part of our service, giving us the opportunity to provide our customers with the perfect solution for a given issue.

Especially in recent years, we have seen very interesting applications of our products that have helped to address needs arising out of the wider complications of COVID. A good example of this was the car park-based ‘Click and Collect’ solution developed in response to the juxtaposition of overwhelming demand and social distancing during the pandemic.

The Click and Collect system utilises one of our VMS-A units as a ‘call up’ display that could, for example, display an order number when the order is ready for collection. This solution made social distancing easier during the pandemic and could help to reduce congestion and bottlenecks in retail store car parks.

In a similar fashion, the same technology can be applied to a doctor’s surgery or hospital car parks for vaccine or appointment call ups as an alternative to all patients waiting in a waiting room. Those patients with vehicles are then able to sit in their car and wait for the VMS-A to display a message calling them up, keeping the risk of infection to a minimum.

Another innovative use of our products for car parking is queue management. In traditional traffic management applications, our signs can be used to to inform drivers of journey time information, which we know helps to calm traffic during times of congestion. Providing journey time information gives drivers a chance to change their route if needed as well as providing estimated wait times for those who may be stuck in traffic.

Applying this function to car parks, it is possible for our signs to display estimated wait times into a car park during busy periods, which could be highly useful for events that start at a particular time and see many visitors arriving around the same time. Using our signs to inform those waiting to enter a busy car park on estimated waiting times may encourage drivers to use another car park or help to keep things calm during the waiting when people may be anxious about missing the start of the event.

For more information about our solutions or if you would like to know more about how you can use our products to help with parking, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.