Wirral Council and SCC

Challenges

As one of the UK’s most forward-thinking councils, Wirral Council was investigating new and emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and how these may support the region deliver better, more sophisticated services. In order to identify proof of concepts (POC), use-cases and deployments of IoT ecosystems, Wirral Council needed a technology partner to consult regularly on the emerging IoT industry and available solutions.

Wirral Council chose SCC and in partnership, we helped the council develop two key areas that could benefit from smart technology solutions: Smart Parking and Air Quality Monitoring, both of which directly affect Wirral residents.

Solution

We investigated an IoT-based Smart Parking system that sends data about free and occupied parking places via web or mobile application. The IoT-device, is located in each parking place and can help councils like Wirral manage traffic flow in large areas, in real-time.

Air Quality Monitoring uses air quality sensors to detect air quality in real time. The data can then be analysed by councils like Wirral and research teams to ultimately help them take the appropriate actions to improve air quality and protect local environments.

SCC has deployed test beds for both Smart Parking and Air Quality Monitoring, as well as a single portal ecosystem so all of Wirral Council’s IoT monitoring flows into one dashboard, making it easier to use and manage. We consult regularly to discuss IoT technologies and strategies and provide Wirral Council the opportunity to develop further ideas.

Outcome

As a trusted partner, SCC consults Wirral Council on all IoT developments, from the latest products to live implementations elsewhere in the UK, to help the council plan for the future.

From the Smart Parking deployment we determined that there was an under-enforcement on over-stay violations but that the vast majority of residents obeyed the limited-time rules. There is an opportunity here to improve enforcement and ensure bays are available.

From the Air Quality Monitoring deployment we put together an in-depth data report on our findings which has helped the council analyse their corporate social responsibility around the carbon emissions being produced within their district.