Beware The New ANPR Cameras.

We’ve been watching with interest over the weekend at the work going on at Hamptons. First it was fence posts all round the Tydemans/green side of the car park.

Now we like this, as it’ll stop anyone driving across the green to get in, when Tydemans is busy.

Then some new signs appeared, and all became clear. Hamptons have installed new ANPR cameras to manage the car parking fees ! Automatic number-plate recognition is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates. The camera will take one photo as you enter and one as you exit.

And then another sign !

Parking Charge Notices

Parking Charge Notices are the result of a parking infringement on private land or in a car park which is operated by private organisations on behalf of the landowner, and are not enforced by the local highways authority or the police.

Although they look and sound like Penalty Charges Notices (issued by the council or police), they are legally just invoices, and they can often be challenged, this page from MSE explains it well (HERE) . You have the right of appeal to the operator and to an independent adjudicator (POPLA).

Britannia Parking are a member of the British Parking Association, you can find their code of practice HERE.

No increase in charges

Although the charges haven’t gone up, the new cameras will be a lot better at catching out anyone that forgets to pay. Members must make sure that their car is registered with Hamptons. You can pay by app, cash or card.

But always:

• Go straight to the machine after parking.

• Read the signs carefully.

• Display your ticket or permit clearly, make sure it can’t fall down

• Get a receipt for payment at the machine and keep it.

• Be extra careful entering your reg number, but if you do make a keying error…always appeal.

And most importantly, don’t drive in and wait to pick someone up, park in a bay and pay !

KBO