A new way to manage the kerb space
Grid Smarter Cities is a smart city eco-system of smart but simple solutions, connecting communities and people with transport, parking, goods and services.

At Grid, we think we can change how citizens interact and navigate around our cities. We want to make our urban centres more efficient, more helpful and quite simply, ‘smarter’.
“eventually, everything connects.”
Virtual Loading Bays

Guaranteed time-spliced kerb slots for delivery vehicles to create certainty of parking location, preventing circling and therefore reducing congestion and emissions.

Virtual Loading Extensions

In areas where loading is allowed, but time-limited, permission can be granted to extend the legal period if more time is required, as opposed to simply issuing a penalty.

Construction Sites

On construction sites, a 'freight traffic control' system can be used to ensure that space on a restricted construction site is optimised.

Construction Holding Areas

Cement mixers and other construction site vehicles spend hours circling the block until they are called into site.

ANIA

An automatic notification of imminent arrival allows a user to notify a service provider of their close proximity to their destination, through an automated alert as they pass through a "geo-fence."

Flexible Kerb Space

Bays that can be utilised by Service and Maintenance Vehicles, in close proximity to intended destination - these reduce circling time looking for an area to park, as well as creating efficiencies from the fact that drivers use their vehicles as mobile workshops.

Clean Air Zones

A clean air zone allows the creation of differential charging with pricing preference for zero or low-carbon vehicles, without having to resort to massive infrastructure costs.

Skip Permit Management

Replacing inefficient practices of obtaining a skip permit, SkipTrac allows Local Authorities to better monitor skip usage with integrated enforcement through the usage of RFID tagging and an integrated back-office permit system.

Click on the Kerb icon to find out more
Virtual Loading Bays

Guaranteed time-spliced kerb slots for delivery vehicles to create certainty of parking location, preventing circling and therefore reducing congestion and emissions. Vehicles can park and directly load outside the door rather than from a 'legal' loading bay situated further away (which may be occupied).

Permission is allowed at a time that least impacts on traffic flow, and costs vary depending on emissions banding, congestion and time of day - incentivising a greener, more efficient city centre. The result is a quicker delivery creating efficiency savings for the operator and a reduction in congestion from circling or double-parked vehicles.

Virtual Loading Extensions

In areas where loading is allowed, but time-limited, permission can be granted to extend the legal period if more time is required as opposed to simply issuing a penalty. This is hugely beneficial to couriers who can park up to do the last mile on foot or decanting loads to kerbside porters or cargo bikes.

Servicing and maintenance vehicles can extend when a job is over-running. HGVs bringing consolidated loads are able to deliver more effectively. Efficiencies created for the commercial operators lead to savings. Revenues are generated for the local authority from paid for permissions.

Construction Sites

On construction sites, a 'freight traffic control' system can be used to ensure that space on a restricted construction site is optimised.

Deliveries can be tracked and scheduled with real-time communication between the site managers and drivers.

Construction Holding Areas

Cement mixers and other construction site vehicles spend hours circling the block until they are called into site. These vehicles have a massive impact on congestion, emissions and safety for other road users. It makes more sense to hold them in spaces 15 - 30 minutes away from a congested area to help facilitate better ‘just-in-time’ delivery calling them in when required, rather than have them loitering or circling.

Councils within the call off zone can make available underutilised kerbspace and assets such as council depots and car parks at certain times generating much needed revenues, but also enabling the more efficient use of the network by reducing congestion and improving air quality.

ANIA

An automatic notification of imminent arrival allows a user to notify a service provider of their close proximity to their destination through the automated alert as they pass through a “geo-fence.”

ANIA allows the anticipation of arrival, aiding efficient resourcing and exemplar customer service. The technology has applications in disability assistance, VIP concierge and just-in-time delivery.

Click & Collect

Specifically created to satisfy the need of the retailer, a click & collect bay allows customers the opportunity to book a slot to park at a convenient spot for collection of their goods, with the preparation of goods taking place with a geo-fence trigger rather than once the customer arrives at the store.

Carer Bays

With an aging population, the demand for professional carers increases. For carers looking to maximise their time with patients, having the flexibility to book a carer bay near their destination means that there is less circling and the ability to efficiently plan appointments.

EV Bays

With the addition of a rapid charger at a Loading Bay, electric courier vehicles are given a greater range and flexibility, and HGVs utilise the space as a cross-dock.

At off-peak times, bays can be used as a charging area for Electric Taxis.

Disabled Bays

These are areas of kerbspace that can be allocated to Disabled Badge Holders, either where an extension to the local rules is required, or to enable compliance by local authorities in areas where the Disabled Badge Rules are disapplied.

Additionally, in Restricted Zones or pedestrianised areas, local authorities may allow certain permissions to be allowed for disabled drivers.

Clean Air Zones

A clean air zone allows the creation of differential charging with pricing preference for zero or low-carbon vehicles, without having to resort to massive infrastructure costs.

As vehicles drive into the city centre, they can be charged for the time they are there at a rate that reflects their fuel type. Certain areas can impose restrictions on the class of vehicle that is able to enter and exit, ie. Electric Vehicles in and around a High Street.

Skip Permit Management

Replacing inefficent practices of obtaining a skip permit, SkipTrac allows Local Authorities to better monitor skip usage with integrated enforcement through the usage of RFID tagging and an integrated back-office permit system.

On booking, a virtual skip bay is created. Then, using vehicle telematics and RF tags, the start of the booking is triggered with the skip drop-off reconciled with the permit location. This is integrated with the Parking Attendant’s enforcement software so an existing enforcement asset can be multi-purposed.

This allows more consistency in pricing, better management of the kerbside, digitisation and standardisation of a previously largely paper-based system. As a lorry comes to collect the skip to take it to landfill or recycling centre, the collection triggers the end of the booking.