OPTEX’s highly reliable vehicle detection sensor installed at prestigious Wentworth Estate

OPTEX’ s vehicle sensor, installed by GT Perimeter Protection, is helping to accurately detect vehicles, whilst ignoring human traffic, at the private Wentworth Estate in Surrey.

Wentworth, home to the world-famous golf course is regarded as one of the UK’s most prestigious addresses. Over the years, Sir Elton John, Sir Bruce Forsyth, sport stars and international royalty have all called it home.

Unlike some other famous residential estates, Wentworth is fairly open in design, although a barrier has recently been introduced at one entrance to reduce the freeflow of traffic. The barrier was operated in conjunction with a ground loop, but damage to the cables caused the detection loop to fail. It required the Wentworth Road Committee to find an alternative solution but one that did not require extensive additional works. They turned to GT Perimeter Protection who in-turn selected and installed OPTEX’s OVS-01GT vehicle sensor.

As an above ground solution, the OPTEX system requires no civil or ground engineering works and can be easily installed, mounted at 0.5m from the ground to accurately detect small and large vehicles. It can be connected and integrated with existing parking systems and used with gates or barriers, and includes simple onboard menu programming, with five sensitivity settings and five human cancelling selections, all with one-button calibration.

Using a combination of microwave and ultrasonic detection, the sensor, with a range up to 5.5m, detects a vehicle’s movement and presence whilst ignoring pedestrians, so will only activate when required.

Gareth Swindells, Director of Operations at GT Perimeter Protection, said with its easy installation and set up, the new solution is ideal for Wentworth Estate: “For this site, the most important factor was to find a solution that did not require any engineering or ground works, and did not cause any disruption for residents.

“OPTEX’s OVS-01GT sensor came highly recommended, and we were particularly impressed with the sensitivity settings and the pedestrian filter, and their team have been great to work with. Simply being able to mount the sensor above the ground, means we could install it and get it up and running very quickly.”

Sarah Black, Automation Product Manager at OPTEX, says its microwave-based vehicle detection offering provides a true alternative to ground loops: “Our range of vehicle sensors are highly reliable and easy to install, providing users with the same high level of performance as traditional induction loops, but gaining all the benefits of not having to dig up the roads, disrupt traffic or cause inconvenience to residents.”