Opened in 1972 and located just off the M6 motorway in Penrith, Cumbria, the J38 Truckstop is a truly unique, family-owned service stop owned and operated by Westmorland. The services include a wide parking area, a gas station, shops, and a restaurant, providing a popular stop of for heavy goods vehicles (HGV) traffic and general traffic on to a journey south, on the route from the North East of England to Lancashire.
The site had been running reliably on HUB’s original parking system for 15 years, offering capacity for 94 HGVs at any one time and totaling over 50,000 transits per year. Due to the exceptional performance of the previous system, the owners entrusted HUB UK with the modernisation of the parking access and control system, to elevate the customer services. The parking technology solution needed to be capable of managing high traffic volumes through controlled entry and exit lanes, whilst ensuring a frictionless experience for drivers. New equipment would also need to be compatible with the large and heavy vehicles transits. Finally, it was essential that any upgrade allowed for seamless integration with the existing payment system, minimising disruption to the site’s busy day-to-day operations.
HUB UK introduced an innovative parking solution that seamlessly integrates ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology with a ticketed barrier entry system. This access control configuration blends in smoothly with the truck stop infrastructure and has significantly optimised operations through automated and connected parking technology.
The entry process is straightforward: ANPR cameras automatically scan and log the vehicle’s number plate upon arrival. If the vehicle is in the authorised list, the system instantly recognises it and raises the barrier for seamless entry. If the vehicle plate does not match with an active subscription, the entry station issues a ticket, granting access to the parking area and nearby services.
The payment process is simple and convenient: both recurring parkers - whose license plate is on the authorized list - and transient ones can pay at the manual payment station located in the shop (FCJ Fee Computer). The manned station integrates with J4M web validation platform, offering multiple validation options, from partial to full discounts.
The exit process is equally frictionless: the ANPR system scans the number plate as the truck approaches the exit, automatically raising the barrier if the vehicle plate holds a subscription or has already paid. A vehicle detection loop ensures smooth operation by triggering the exit station as the car enters the exit lane.
The truck stop staff monitors and manages the car park operations through JMS, HUB’s digital management system. Its user-friendly dashboard allows the personnel to monitor the car park operations live, receiving real-time parking reports with regards to occupancy, revenue statistics, and much more.
After a short customer training session on the new digital parking system software, they were ready to go. In addition, the operator has secured a 5-year service and assistance contract with HUB UK, ensuring that they receive all the necessary aftercare, technical support and maintenance required for the continued success of their new parking management system.
The smart barrier and parking system addition to the site not only transforms the look and feel of the entrance and exit to the truck stop services, but also allows operators to efficiently manage access, subscriptions, and payment.
Resting and refueling at the J38 TruckStop just got even smoother, thanks to HUB UK’s collaboration with Highways England and Westmorland.
“The HUB team were a pleasure to work with from inception, planning and delivery of our new hybrid traffic barrier system at Junction 38 TruckStop. Nothing was too much trouble. Our customers are now enjoying the benefits of a modern and efficient traffic barrier system.”
John France - Facilities and Estates Project Manager at Westmorland