There has been a drastic increase in the purchase of vehicles in the last couple of years, leading to several issues, such as traffic congestion, insufficient parking spaces, and unauthorised parking. According to British Parking Association, the estimated number of parking spaces in the UK is more than 1.2 million, which is still insufficient. We need better infrastructure, technology and parking management techniques to sustain such a huge number of vehicles.

Security glitches are one of the prominent issues we have in mind while parking in a car park. There is a threat of theft, vandalism or any damage to your vehicle, which comes under safety issues. To improve the security of a car park, we can take measures like hiring guards, installing advanced technological systems, etc. 

In this blog, we will learn how technology like ANPR can be helpful in improving the security of a car park and providing valuable solutions.

 

What is ANPR Technology?

ANPR stands for Automatic Number Plate Recognition which is used to read and recognise the license plate number of vehicles. Private car park owners and authorities use it to monitor traffic movement in their car parks and detect if anyone creates havoc. ANPR technology reads a vehicle’s licence plate and stores all the details in a database so the backend software can detect the vehicle if it revisits the place. Also, it is used to capture unauthorised vehicles that are parked illegally.

ANPR is an excellent tool because of the benefits it offers in the field of parking, road safety, and crime investigation. It plays an immense role in increasing the safety and security of a parking space. ANPR cameras capture the vehicle’s registered number, colour, and model, which is stored in a database so that the operator can easily go through it whenever required.

ANPR Integration With Access Control

ANPR Technology has gained a lot of exposure because of its versatility, as it can be integrated with different applications and systems. Many car park owners integrate ANPR with CCTV cameras and barrier systems to improve the overall safety of their place. When integrated with such applications, the ANPR system can be beneficial in improving the safety of car parks.

They place the ANPR-integrated cameras at the entrance and exit of the car park. The cameras detect the vehicle’s licence plate, and all the details of the vehicles get stored in a backend database. The stored information is used for access control. For example, in reserved parking, the access control system will only let registered vehicles enter or open the barrier gates after the motorist has paid the full parking fare.

 

Role of ANPR Technology in Parking Management

Technology has made our lives easy as we can operate many things with just one tap on our mobile screens. With the use of technological advancements, we can make our lives more convenient. Managing parking in a car park is much more challenging than it seems; thus, we need better options and techniques to deal with parking-related issues. ANPR technology plays a crucial role in addressing parking issues with a comprehensive approach, and it also ensures smooth parking movement and overall safety of the car park.

ANPR systems are helpful in the following ways for optimum car park management:

• Register the details of the vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot.
• Improve safety with the 24/7 surveillance CCTV cameras capturing everything.
• Identify unauthorised vehicles or stolen vehicles through their registered details.
• Reducing traffic congestion by monitoring the smooth traffic flow.
• Real-time recording and reporting of incidents increase safety.
• Improve security against unwanted and suspected vehicles with a complete access control system.

 

How Does ANPR Technology Improve Car Parks’ Security?

ANPR technology has numerous advantages, and the major among them is the safety & security of surroundings. ANPR can enhance a car park’s security in several ways, some of which are the following:

 

• Monitoring the Entrance and Exit Gates

ANPR-integrated cameras will capture the details of the vehicles entering and exiting the car park and store the information. It can detect multiple vehicles at a time and keep all the relevant data for future reference. In case of any suspicious event, the security personnel can go through the information and detect the suspected vehicle and driver.

• Identifying Unauthorised Vehicles

ANPR scans the license plates of all vehicles entering and leaving the car park and compares them against a database of authorised vehicles (in case of reserved parking). Any vehicle not present on the list is considered unauthorised and is prohibited from entering the car park. If any unauthorised vehicle enters the car park, an alert can be generated to notify the security personnel.

• 24/7 Real-Time Surveillance

ANPR cameras monitor the car park 24/7 and capture high-quality images of suspicious activities. The generated photographs can be used as proof against violators. It can also deter criminals from breaking into or stealing vehicles in the car park.

• Immediate Response

Suppose an incident occurs in the car park. In that case, ANPR technology can help security officials to respond more quickly and effectively because ANPR provides real-time data that can be used to solve and take necessary action within time.

• Improving Access Control

ANPR system can be used to control access to the car park through a barrier system. It can automatically allow or deny vehicle access based on their registered licence number.

 

Conclusion

ANPR technology can provide security to your car park, prevent unauthorised access, detect suspicious activities, and improve the overall safety of your parking space.

ANPR is by far the most helpful tool for providing the best parking management services and improving security in the parking business. Most car park owners are installing ANPR systems to enhance the safety and efficiency of their parking areas.

If you own a car park and need to improve its safety, reach out to Euro Parking Services, a leading parking management and enforcement company in the UK.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Click here and get in touch with us to know more about our services.