Access control system specialists Nortech have recently seen Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust update and improve Tewkesbury Community Hospital’s car park using Nortech’s Feemaster system. Nortech’s Feemaster range was installed by entry control system specialists ASGuk, who were appointed by Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust to design and install a parking control system to stop visitors misusing the site’s car park.
ASGuk was able to use their 30 years of experience to propose a time and budget-friendly solution which fitted the client’s needs now and in the future, combining both automatic barriers and parking ticket control.
ASGuk selected Nortech’s FeeMaster parking system as part of the design, which includes the FeeMaster Smart Entry Station, FeeMaster Smart Exit Station, and a number of FeeMaster Smart Consoles for inside the building. The console allows the staff to control any misuse of the car park and ensures that there are enough parking spaces for visitors and patients.
Nortech’s FeeMaster smart parking management system is a flexible, simple and cost-effective way of managing car parking access and controlling validity periods using Mifare smart cards. This avoids the need for expensive cabling between components and minimises disruption.
Chris Vokes, Technical Sales at ASGuk Security and Safety Systems commented: “We selected Nortech because its systems were the right fit for the hospital’s short and long-term needs. The products provide an easy solution to the ongoing parking problem and fitted the criteria for what the client wanted, including reduced cabling.” “We have known Nortech for many years and are very happy with how the system works, their technical support and the end result achieved for the client. We will most certainly continue to use Nortech products on future projects.”
The FeeMaster entry station is designed to be used to record the date and time that a vehicle enters a car park. Located at the entrance of the car park, it issues tickets to visitors as they arrive, with each ticket containing a barcode, serial number and the date and time.
Dispensing the ticket triggers an ‘open’ signal to the entry barrier. The ticket is then taken to the hospital’s reception desk where the date and time is used in conjunction with the FeeMaster Smart Console. The FeeMaster Smart exit station prevents unauthorised vehicles leaving a car park or entering restricted areas. Located at the exit of the car park or the entrance to a restricted area, it validates the Mifare smart cards and exit tokens.
The exit station is equipped with a barcode scanner to read exit tokens issued by the FeeMaster Smart console, as well as entry tickets issued at the entry station. Each ticket is valid for single use at the exit station during the validity period assigned to it. The exit station controller checks the details on the barcode ticket and sends an ‘open’ signal to the barrier. The FeeMaster Smart Console is a compact and easy-to-install device that reads barcode tickets issued at the entry station, calculates the fees based on pre-programmed tariff details, and encodes reusable Mifare access control cards with validity data. If necessary, the console can print customer receipts and/or barcode exit tokens. It can also control a till drawer and send a control signal to a vehicle barrier/turnstile.
The console may also be connected to a PC so that transactions can be analysed and additional tariff management features may be used. Nortech has supplied products and solutions to the security industry for over 25 years as an independent British company. The company uses extensive experience and expertise to create new security products to fit their clients’ needs and designs everything with the customer in mind.
