ANPR technology to be rolled out in WDC car parks

Automatic Number Pate Recognition (ANPR) technology is to be rolled out in more of the car parks operated by Wycombe District Council following a successful trial in High Wycombe’s Easton Street and Railway Place car parks.

On driving into the car park a special camera logs your vehicle registration number and relays this to the pay machine system. When leaving the car park visit the pay machine and follow the instructions on screen, insert your vehicle registration number and it tells you the amount to pay.

Disabled users will still receive free parking concessions but they must first register your Blue Badge with Wycombe District Council.

The installation of ANPR technology will start on 26th May 2014 through to the middle of August 2014. The cars parks that will receive the new equipment and estimated schedule for the installation of the equipment is:

• Week commencing 26th May 2014 – Kingsmead, Duke Street and Totteridge Road (High Wycombe)
• Week commencing 9th June 2014 – George Street, Baker Street, Richardson Street (High Wycombe)
• Week commencing 23rd June 2014 – Wycombe Swan Theatre multi-storey, Desborough Road (High Wycombe)
• Week commencing 7th July 2014 – Council Offices (High Wycombe) Institute Road and Pound Lane/ Court Garden (Marlow)
• Week commencing 21st July 2014 – West Street, Central and Liston Road (Marlow)
• Week commencing 4th August 2014 – Horns Lane and The Mount (Princes Risborough) and Wakeman Road (Bourne End)

The new ANPR technology will replace the majority of the existing pay and display machines in the car parks listed above.

According to Wycombe District Council the new ANPR system will provide a host of extra benefits to customers and local businesses which include:

• No need to rush back worrying if your ticket will run out, allowing you to spend longer for shopping or business
• No need to ever risk getting a fine or penalty again

More options on how to pay, these are:

• Pay on return via the machine using coins or cards
• Register for automatic payments through a free Flexipark service (external website)
• Pay on-line up to 24 hours after leaving the car park
• Pay by mobile phone via RingGo on arrival into the car park
• Permits are available: call Parking Services for details on 01494 421955

Three car parks operated by Wycombe District Council are not affected by the changes, they are Wycombe Sports Centre (High Wycombe), Dean Street and Riley Road (Marlow) which will stay as pay and display for operational reasons.

Update 22nd January 2017 : The ANPR system has since been withdrawn from car parks operated by Wycombe District Council. For further information please see the news article ‘Car parks run by Wycombe District Council to return to pay and display as ANPR technology is ditched‘.