New technology installed in the Belgian city of Ghent will enable cyclists to check online to see if there are free bicycle spaces in Korenmarkt and Braunplein, two bicycle parks located in the historic city centre.

The bicycle parks will be equipped with sensors and cameras which will scan the room and calculate the amount of storage space available. The number of empty spaces will be registered at least once per minute and the data transmitted digitally. Cyclists will be able to see the amount of available spaces online, as well as on a screen at the front of the bicycle park.

The equipment also makes it possible to detect abandoned bicycles. The scanners can highlight bicycle spaces which have been occupied for longer than average, allowing authorities to identify and remove the abandoned bicycles.

For more information, click here (in Dutch).