Establishing a parking solution that puts customer experience at the heart of Rushden Lakes
Estate overview
Rushden Lakes brings together the very best in retail, leisure and dining, set beside 200 acres of protected Nene Wetlands nature reserve and a stunning lake. Visitors are able to enjoy shopping, walking, alfresco dining and watersports in equal measure.
Rushden Lakes has attracted local independents and many new and well-established brands to Northamptonshire, including Primark, JD Sports and M&S, as well as Rock Up and 360 Play.
The Challenge
A unique “trail-blazing” site with over 7 million visitors per year. With limited space and a staff population of 900, the challenge was to manage extreme demand without implementing a heavy-handed “enforcement-only” atmosphere that would spoil the lakeside experience.
Our solution
- Frictionless Flow: Installed ANPR cameras at all entry/exit points to allow “free-flow” traffic, using the resulting data to provide retailers with insights into visitor demographics and dwell times.
- Real-Time Staff Empowerment: Developed a bespoke app for on-site marshals, allowing them to view live occupancy data and assist visitors in finding spaces during peak periods.
- Visitor Communication: Installed Variable Messaging Screens (VMS) at the entrance to provide real-time updates, stay-time reminders, and exclusive retail offers.
The results
- Seamless user-experience: Despite handling 7,000+ cars per day, the site maintains a “calm and relaxed” reputation, directly supporting retail sales.
- Efficient Staff Management: Successfully diverted 900 staff members to alternative parking zones, protecting the 5-hour customer window.
- Data-Led Growth: Ongoing analysis continues to optimise the car park as footfall scales year-on-year.