People who park their vehicles in areas they are not authorised to do so cause a multitude of problems for other car users. Being unable to park in your rightful place is equally frustrating Irrespective of whether you are a resident who cannot park outside their home, or an employee having difficulty getting a car parking space at work. The level of frustration is probably multiplied by ten when it comes to car park owners whose income can be affected by unauthorised parking. Many people see the council or the police as the first port of call, however, in the cases of simple unauthorised parking, they are usually unable to help. In the case of the council, they will only act if the offending vehicle is blocking the public highway and the police see this as a civil offence and they have neither the time nor the resources to deal with civil issues.
So in this article, we thought we would take a look at some of the parking enforcement options that are open to you to combat rogue car parking. We will also highlight the ones that we feel are likely to provide you with the best results. Our advice is to be proactive and try and stop unauthorised vehicles from appearing on your property. However, we appreciate this is not always possible so here are what we think are five ways of effectively dealing with the problem.
Clear and Concise Signage
By making signage both clear and visible and highlighting that anyone parking without authorisation will incur penalty charges. You are entitled to do this as the law of trespass applies once they park on your property. One thing to be aware of though is that you should avoid threatening to clamp unauthorised vehicles as this is actually illegal.
ANPR Cameras Can Prove Useful
Using ANPR cameras is a good way of keeping your car park free of unauthorised vehicles. An ANPR system will remain active 24/7 taking images of every vehicle that enters and leaves your car park. The footage provided can be used as evidence when trying to recover monies from anyone who uses your car park without paying the required charge. ANPR cameras can also be used on residential and company car parks to deny entry to any but authorised vehicles.
Online Booking Systems
Online Booking systems have become more popular over recent times as they help ensure anyone using the car park is authorised to do so. Online booking systems give users flexibility and reduce the chances of people overstaying, as they pay for their parking in advance.
Lighting and CCTV
Not only will good lighting and CCTV cameras help improve the security of your parking space, but they will also deter chancers from parking there. Most people who look to park illegally would prefer to do it in an area where they are unlikely to run the risk of any charges. The more deterrents you have on your car park the less likely people are to risk parking there without paying the requisite charges.
Self-Ticketing
Self-ticketing has become a popular option, especially in small retail outlets that are often a magnet for people looking to park without paying the charges. Many unauthorised parkers see small shops as an easy target when it comes to avoiding car park fees so implementing a self-ticketing system will help you resolve the problem. You can purchase a self-ticketing kit from an AOS(accredited operator scheme member) and they will pursue any tickets you have to issue. Once word gets around that you could face a fine if you park on the space illegally all but the most determined will give your car park a wide berth.
While the things listed above are just some of the options open to you we feel they are probably the most effective available to you, and once implemented will definitely help you reduce if not eradicate unauthorised parking on your property.
