Consultancy Services for the Review and Development of Cambridge City Council Car Parks Assets

Cambridge City Council invites quotations to undertake a comprehensive review of the Council’s car parking infrastructure, technology, and operational processes.

The purpose of this commission is to assess the Council’s current parking services and identify opportunities to improve:

• Customer experience
• Accessibility and inclusivity
• Operational efficiency
• Data-driven decision making
• Long-term resilience and adaptability to emerging technologies
• Further business development
The consultant will also support the Council in developing a future-proof technical specification and procurement documentation for the potential modernisation of parking systems and services.
The Council operates Grand Arcade, Grafton East, Grafton West, Queen Anne Terrace, and Park Street carparks in Cambridge which are multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) and several surface-level car parks which serve residents, visitors, and local businesses. The focus of this procurement is for the Council’s multistorey portfolio, but an understanding that the Council also manage several surface-level car parks that additional advice might be required for is key.
Existing infrastructure includes a range of parking equipment and systems such as:

• Entry and exit barrier systems
• Ticketing and payment machines
• Intercom/help point systems
• Electrical and communications infrastructure
• Network connectivity
• Back-office monitoring and reporting systems
• Fire system integration
• Kerb-side VMS system across the city
There are continuing customer expectations around parking services, with increased demand for:
• Digital and contactless payment options
• Faster entry and exit processes
• Improved accessibility and information
• Reliable equipment and support systems

In addition, the Council are keen to understand innovative technologies that may support improved parking management, including ticketless parking, mobile applications, advanced reporting tools, and the potential of artificial intelligence-based monitoring systems.

The Council are looking to appoint an independent consultant to assess the current parking estate and support development of a future-ready parking service model.