Land Digital Raises £705,000 to Advance AI-Based Barrier-Free Tolling and Parking Solutions
Left to Right: Jon Leighton, Founder/MD, Land Digital; Julian Leighton, Chair, Land Digital; Naomi Allen Seales, Investment Manager, Northstar Ventures; Mark Pegler, Non-Executive Director, Land Digital; Sarah Hughes, Head of Delivery, Land Digital. Photography credit: Focal Point Photography
Land Digital, a transport technology firm based in Sunderland, has secured over £700,000 in funding to fast-track the development and commercial deployment of its AI-powered platform designed for barrier-free tolling, parking, and transport management.
The capital injection includes a £500,000 investment from Northstar Ventures’ Venture Sunderland Fund, £25,000 from business angels, and £180,000 from Creative England. The company plans to utilise these funds to enhance its product roadmap and grow its team, targeting a market where UK airport parking revenues alone reach an estimated £2.1 billion annually.
With transport operators increasingly moving away from traditional barrier-controlled systems that cause congestion and limit revenue collection, Land Digital’s platform leverages Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), data analytics, and artificial intelligence to optimise pricing and operational decisions.
By enabling continuous operation and minimising reliance on manual processes and outdated on-site infrastructure, the platform improves throughput and compliance, enhances customer experience, and reduces emissions associated with stop-start traffic.
The company has developed a highly adaptable back-office system that can be deployed more rapidly and flexibly than many conventional transport management solutions. This system supports open-road tolling operations such as the Tyne Tunnel (TT2), which manages approximately 17 million journeys annually, and Warburton Bridge. Additionally, the technology is in use for parking operations at London Southend Airport, serving as a key reference point for Land Digital’s expanding airport-focused offerings.
Transitioning from a consultancy-led approach to a scalable, product-led technology business, Land Digital’s team possesses extensive domain expertise. Its board includes industry veterans such as Chairman Julian Leighton, founder of OrangeBus and a former Northstar Ventures investee, and Non-Executive Director Mark Pegler, ex-Managing Director of ParkVia, who brings substantial commercial and airport sector experience.
Jon Leighton, Founder and Managing Director of Land Digital, stated: “Operators don’t want more technology – they want less friction, for their customers and their back office. This investment lets us bring AI-driven efficiency to both, faster, whilst meeting demand from operators ready to move on from barrier-based systems.”
Northstar Ventures Investment Manager Naomi Allen Seales commented: “Land Digital has developed a genuinely differentiated software platform for transport infrastructure at a time when operators are increasingly looking to modernise legacy systems. The team combines deep sector expertise with strong technical capability and has demonstrated the ability to win and deliver contracts across both tolling and airport environments. We believe the business has significant growth potential and we’re delighted to support the next stage of its journey through the Venture Sunderland Fund.”
Malcolm King, Investment Manager at Creative England, added: “We’re delighted to support the team at Land Digital through our Creative and Cultural Investment Programme (CCIP). The team has built an innovative platform that helps transport operators address key operational challenges, from reducing congestion to enhancing passenger experiences. As demand for smarter, more connected transport infrastructure continues to grow, Land Digital is well positioned for the future. We’re excited to back the team as they continue to deliver meaningful impact across the sector.”
Source: ParkGeniusFly (parkgeniusfly.co.uk)
