TECHNOLOGY allowing motorists to use an app to find a free parking bay in Albury is set to be trialled.
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Sensors will be embedded under 167 parking bays along busy shopping strips in the central business district to check on cars overstaying time limits and report to motorists seeking a park.
The data will be monitored for two years as part of a trial overseen by Albury Council.
The areas to be covered are Dean Street from Kiewa to David streets, Kiewa Street between Dean and Smollett streets, and Olive Street from Dean to Swift streets.
The starting date for the trial is yet to be determined, but the community will be alerted in advance of the sensors being switched on.
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The council's service leader engagement Kate de Hennin briefed councillors about the trial at a public session on Monday night.
She said the technology would allow council rangers to be freed up for other work as physical monitoring was replaced.
"A big cost saving for us is that reduction in the manual processes of our rangers who currently take two staff all day walking down the streets chalking tyres and then walking back up again and then reviewing those tickets as well," Ms de Hennin said.
"By doing this we will be able to free them up to do other ranger engagement activities."
The council spends $135,000 each year on two rangers, with a $94,000 annual budget set for the trial with each sensor costing $250.
An app will be rolled out with the trial to allow motorists to use their phone to check on the availability of a sensored car park.
Mayor Kevin Mack said the method would allow for greater turnover of parks, a concern raised with the council.
"By using this technology, we hope to solve the problem of a handful of motorists taking up parking spots for extended times which will allow more people to get a park where they want, when they want," Cr Mack said.
Similar monitoring has already been adopted by other councils across Australia.
The sensors will be buried 40 centimetres below ground, ensuring they unable to be vandalised and not subject to hot or cold temperatures.
Cars are detected through pressure and an infra red signal.
