Category Archives: Giles Lane changes

Changes to Giles Lane car park

Giles Lane Car Park Barriers

On Wednesday 19 June the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) barriers in Giles Lane car park will start operating. We will be tweeting updates on the morning of the 19th via the Transport Team twitter @unikent_travel. If you do not have a twitter account you can view our tweets on our news page.

As you arrive on Campus there are 2 electronic Vehicle Message Signs (VMS) located on Giles Lane. One by Giles Lane car park entrance for drivers approaching from St Stephens Hill and the other just before the Park Wood roundabout, for drivers approaching from University Road direction.

The VMS will work with the ANPR barriers, to show the number of available spaces within Giles Lane car park barrier controlled area. This information aims to assist drivers with making a decision on whether to enter this car park or divert to a different one.

When entering the barrier controlled area of Giles Lane car park, the camera will read your vehicle’s registration number (VRN). It will automatically open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm if the vehicle is registered with a valid permit and for all cars at any other time, (see further information below).

If the vehicle is not registered with a valid permit, the driver will be required to press the buzzer and speak to Campus Security. Security will allow all drivers to enter the car park, but will inform the driver, they must exit the car park immediately.  If the vehicle has not left the car park within 10 minutes of entering through the barriers, Campus Security will be made aware. Visit our parking enforcement web page for further information.

At peak times the barrier will lift automatically for all vehicles to allow traffic flow. However, the registration number of vehicles that do not have a valid permit will be recorded and the barrier system will notify Campus Security. Whilst a vehicle may be allowed through the barrier, it is still the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they;

  • are parked within a marked bay at all times.
  • have activated the correct vehicle on their permit account, or have the correct permit displayed in their windscreen if they do not have a virtual permit for Giles Lane car park, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm

The Giles Lane Project Team will be closely monitoring how the barriers are working. We welcome all feedback and ask you to complete our Giles Lane car park feedback form to enable us to understand your experiences and make improvement where possible.

Information for Permit Holders

Virtual parking permit holders

The virtual permit database will feed the vehicle that is marked as ‘active’ on each permit account to the ANPR barrier every 30 minutes. Hence why we are asking drivers to update their permit account with the vehicle they are parking at least 30 minutes before arriving on campus, where reasonably possible.

A driver with a valid virtual parking permit with the correct vehicle marked as ‘active’ on the permit account:

  • The barrier will automatically open. Please ensure you have updated your active vehicle to the one you are driving at least 30 minutes before arriving on campus. See our FAQ on how to switch your vehicle.

A driver who has a virtual daily voucher permits:

  • Please ensure you purchase your daily voucher at least 30 minutes before arriving on campus to guarantee automatic entry through the ANPR barrier.  If you are unable to do this for any reason and the barrier does not lift press the buzzer and talk to Campus Security to gain access into the car park.

A driver with a valid virtual parking permit but not in the vehicle marked as ‘active’ on the permit account: 

  • The driver may be required to press the buzzer and speak to Campus Security, outside of peak traffic flow times. Once you enter the car park and parked your vehicle you must update your permit account to ensure the correct vehicle is registered to park. See our FAQ on how to update your active vehicle.

Paper parking permit holders

Drivers that have a paper permit will still be required to clearly display a valid permit in the front windscreen of their vehicle. Your vehicle registration details will be uploaded onto the ANPR list once a week. This means you may not be able to enter Giles Lane car park automatically until 1 week after the permit has been issued.  In the meantime press the buzzer at the barriers to ask for access if the barriers do not lift.

Giles Lane car park update- 11 December 2018

Barriers are being installed in the entrance and exit points of Giles Lane car park from Monday 17 December until the start of the winter break.

Access points to and from the car park will be maintained throughout. At certain times alternative access points may be required. Temporary signage will be in place to help direct drivers.

Giles Lane car park update- 6 September 2018

Giles Lane car park is now fully reopened as a pink zone car park, and enforcement within Giles Lane will be reinstated from Monday 10 September.

Members of staff are able to update their parking permit from a blue zone to a pink zone, if they would like to continue parking in Giles Lane car park. To update your parking permit log in your permit account and select “Permit application. Apply for a permit”. Once you have applied for a new pink zone permit, email TransportTeam@kent.ac.uk to request cancellation of your blue zone permit.

Within the next week further minor works will continue in the Giles Lane car park, this will include some small areas of tarmacking; installation of signage and additional lampposts. No parking bays will need to be closed for this work to take place.

We are aware that some people are using the vehicle entrance and exit points for pedestrian access. Unfortunately this creates a health and safety risk to those individuals, so we advise all pedestrians to follow the access points provided; these are marked on the car park design under the abbreviation “PA” highlighted in yellow.

Giles Lane car park update- 22 August 2018

Work on Giles Lane car park has been progressing well. The car park is now lined and low level fences have been installed.

We are waiting for the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) barriers to be delivered and installed and to receive the associated ANPR software.

Giles Lane car park will be reopened (without the ANPR barriers) this weekend to assist with bOing festival. Final adjustments may be required in the car park following bOing, so the car park will be officially open to pink permit holders from Wednesday 29 August. Temporary signage will be in place.

The design of the car park is two lanes of traffic in and out. The design of the car park directs drivers in a zig zag format around the car park to manage the one-way traffic flow. Please see image of design.

The overflow car park will be closed once Giles Lane car park reopens.

Giles Lane car park update- 7 August 2018

Work on Giles Lane car park is progressing well. The main curb lines have been installed and tarmacking starts this week.

A large conference group (Canterbury Retreat) are leaving the campus on Wednesday 8 August, therefore more parking will become available within the Park Wood Courts car parks.

See our interactive parking map for information on parking zone and capacity.

Giles Lane Update- 24 July 2018

The works in the Giles Lane car park are progressing well. The pink zone is in the process of being levelled and drainage and data cable routes are being dug.  100% of the waste produced by the works is being sent outside of the University to be recycled.

Overflow parking

To enable us to provide sufficient parking for everyone, we are working in partnership with Kent Sport to have overflow parking available once the bays in the Park Wood car parks are full. There are two over flow car parks, both accessed via Park Wood Road:

  • The first overflow car park is situated around the edge of the sports pitch next to the Sports Pavilion. It is for the use of staff and student permit holders, as well as University Visitors issued with an e permit.
  • The second overflow car park is situated around the edge of the Sports Field at the top of Park Wood Road next to the Oaks car park. This is for the use of permit holders. It will also be used by the Contractors working in the Park Wood Courts areas.

Both overflow car parks are signposted on Park Wood Road. Please ensure all your visitors issued with an e-permit are aware that parking is busy on campus at the moment and notify them of all the parking areas. Details on visitor parking are on our web pages. If you are planning an event on campus over the summer which will require parking for visitors please contact the Transport team as soon as possible to discuss your requirements.

The use of the overflow car parks is weather dependent.   We will keep you updated via Transport News on our website and our twitter page (@unikent_travel) if there are any changes to this.

If there are no car parking spaces available in the overflow car park, please try the Park Wood courts.  Our interactive parking map shows all the car parks on campus, with information on the number of bays in each area.

If you are struggling to find a parking space, please call Campus Security (01227 823300) who may be able to look on the CCTV and advise you where parking is available.

25 July – 8 August 2018

There will be a large number of families staying in the Park Wood Courts accommodation over this period.  Please take extra care and drive slowly in Park Wood as there will be children running around and playing in this area, including on the roadways.  Please note that the speed limit on Park Wood Road itself is a maximum of 20 miles per hour.

During this period the Oaks car park will be reopened to staff, student and visitor permit holders. We will continue to assess whether this area is needed for coach and minibus parking and will advise accordingly.

Interactive parking map

We have been listening to feedback and have created an interactive parking map to show information about all of the parking areas on campus- parking zone, capacity, accessible bays and motorcycle bays.

The parking map is currently being updated to reflect the changes to Giles Lane car park. Once this is completed the interactive parking map will be updated.

Giles Lane update- 10 July 2018

Giles Lane car park is now fully closed and the contractors have started the maintenance works.

The first 2-3 weeks of the project will produce a lot of dust and mud while the pink zone is brought down to the level of the current blue zone.

The project team are meeting on a very regular basis and are constantly monitoring the parking situation on campus.

The Transport Team are working closely with Campus Security to advise and assist with traffic management during the car park closure.

Keep up to date with the Giles Lane car park changes webpage

Giles Lane car park update- 6 July 2018

Giles Lane car park will be fully closed Sunday 8 July overnight so works can start Monday 9 July. Personal safety as well as potential damage to vehicles is being considered in regards to the whole car park being closed.

The first 2-3 weeks of the project will produce a lot of dust and mud while the pink zone is brought down to the level of the current blue zone.

Estates are working closely with the contractors and health and safety advisors to see if it is possible to safely reopen any part of the car park during the works.

The project team are meeting on a very regular basis and are constantly monitoring the parking situation on campus.

The Transport Team are working closely with Campus Security to advise and assist with traffic management during the car park closure.

Keep up to date with the Giles Lane car park changes webpage.