Tag Archives: giles lane update

Gritting

How gritting works

The University of Kent’s Landscape Management team are always up early and working hard to keep the campus safe and serviceable for all. During icy weather, they grit the campus roads and footpaths to reduce the risk of accidents to staff, students, and visitors.

What many people do not realise is, there is a fine art to gritting. Timing is everything. If you go too early, you waste the grit, because it lands on a dry road and is blown away by the displaced air as vehicles drive past. If it is raining heavily then it just washes away. Ideally the grit goes down on a damp surface and starts to stick, but if you are too late the surface is already frozen and the salt has to work harder to be effective but it will prevent big sheets of ice forming.

The salt is hygroscopic which means that it attracts moisture from the air and it only becomes activated when it is ‘trafficked’. When the grit is driven over the salt grinds down and mixes with the moisture it attracts and becomes the ideal brine, a salty water, which is when it is most effective.

Similar to how local authorities manage gritting, the Estates department will grit all University of Kent roads and main footpaths before starting on other areas across the campuses. Further information on the prioritised primary routes can be found on Goggle Maps.

For more information see the University’s Snow and Ice Policy.

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- 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.