CCTV has a range of uses. Often, firms and individuals utilise security cameras to deter criminals from targeting their premises and to protect the safety of individuals. Meanwhile, the footage taken by the devices can also be used in criminal cases to help convict people of crimes.
However, CCTV can also be utilised to catch parking cheats and one organisation has been trialling such a scheme. The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA), which exists to encourage people to enjoy and understand this area of England and to help those who live and work there, implemented a year-long trial of cameras that are designed to automatically detect number plates.
The initiative is based at the Waterhead car park in Ambleside and it has been such a success that the pilot has been rolled out to four more car parks, including Broadgate Meadow in Grasmere and Ruskin Avenue in Coniston.
LDNPA operations manager David Coxon remarked: “We have noticed a significant increase in the number of people buying tickets. I am pretty sure that before they just weren’t buying tickets. We have had a lot of positive feedback.”
The special cameras capture the number plates of each car as they enter the parking areas and again as they leave. Those who do not pay are sent fines.
Mr Coxon added: “Drivers who stay longer than intended are given the chance to pay the rest of the fee. It’s quite flexible – just not if you don’t buy a ticket.”
He also noted that the system is helping to generate money which is then invested in the national park. He went on to state: “It’s a stepping stone to a more flexible system which will maximise profit for the authority.”
These days, there are many different types of security cameras and other such devices available to organisations, meaning they should not struggle to find the perfect solutions for them.