Dún Laoghaire welcomes smart parking system for people with disabilities

If the system proves successful, authorities will scale it up to the rest of Dublin

Last week, authorities in Dun Laoghaire, a coastal Irish town formerly part of Dublin County, announced the introduction of a new smart parking system for people with disabilities.

The project is a collaboration between the local government and Smart Dún Laoghaire, a municipal organisation tasked with digitalisation and introducing climate adaptation measures in the greater Dublin area.

Digitalising parking for people with disabilities

The smart parking initiative is aimed at helping people with disabilities locate any of Dún Laoghaire’s 37 designated parking spaces and establish which ones are available. This will happen through a series of sensors, which authorities will place on the parking spaces themselves, and which will connect them to the Internet of Things.

The parking spaces will be linked to the Park Magic app providing real-time information to users for free. Additionally, data will also be available on the Access Earth platform, so that it reaches more people.

According to an official statement by Smart Dublin, the parking system would stay operational for around 12 months. During this time, authorities will access parking usage and length of stay, which will determine the effectiveness of the designated spaces.

Smart Dún Laoghaire, the seep to pollinate Dublin

Dún Laoghaire is a small coastal town, south of Dublin, with a large part of the population commuting to the capital daily. Additionally, Dublin’s urban rail system, the DART, passes along the town and is also one of the main arteries of the Irish capital.

However, Dún Laoghaire and Dublin are uniquely exposed to climate change, as coastal regions are set to feel the brunt of rising sea waters and unpredictable weather events. Additionally, large portions of both cities are located in areas in danger of flooding.

This is why in March this year, local authorities launched Smart Dún Laoghaire, which aims to test out loads of sustainable mobility, green energy, smart and digital strategies and decarbonising initiatives. After they have been successfully implemented in Dún Laoghaire, authorities will scale them up and apply them to Dublin.