A VEHICLE-TRACKING company from the North-East is in talks with London’s transport bosses to use its groundbreaking technology to combat the capital’s parking problems.

FleetM8, based in Boldon, South Tyneside, is working with software specialists DLAB to create “virtual loading bays”, which allow commercial vehicles to deliver goods using a system similar to the way air traffic controllers manage flights in and out of airports.

The North-East company – which makes innovative GPS tracking technology that can trace the current and historic location of any vehicle – is in talks with Transport for London, City of Westminster Council, the Freight Operators Recognition Scheme and Freight Transport Association (FTA) to commercialise the concept to reduce traffic chaos in the capital, and dramatically reduce traffic costs.

Neil Herron, operations director at FleetM8, said: “It’s literally every man for himself competing for kerb space in the capital. We can create virtual loading bays in locations where loading and unloading is severely restricted.

“The bays can be time and traffic flow dependent and rolled out over the whole of London with commercial deliveries managed via a booking process.

“It means Transport for London can manage kerb space and the FTA’s members can cut back on the £500m worth of parking tickets they receive each year – and the £100m in administration costs in dealing with them.”

North-East inventor Dr Phillip Tann and motorist campaigner Mr Herron launched FleetM8 on the back of Dr Tann’s GPS vehicle tracking system. As well as location, the system can be used to track a vehicle’s speed, fuel efficiency and driver behaviour.

The collaboration with DLAB came after developer Dan Riley met Mr Herron at an investment conference held by networking organisation Connect North-East, in April.

Caroline Theobald, managing director of The Bridge Club, which manages the Connect North-East project, said: “The conference was about more than simply investment, it was a place to meet the right people to develop ideas, projects and contacts for the future as FleetM8 has shown.

“Their technology has the chance to revolutionise the way that commercial vehicles access London.

“It is a sound example of the type of innovative companies we have in the North- East which are impacting hugely on the way we live.”