Member Article

Tandridge MiniPark online billing – a first for the UK

Tandridge District Council is making parking more convenient for residents and visitors to Oxted, introducing ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology and account-based billing to make parking as easy as possible for motorists.

The council has installed a Flowbird MiniPark with barriers system in the centre of the town - a ticketless parking system which integrates vehicle sensors, license plate recognition cameras and barriers on entry/exit lanes.

The MiniPark system allows users to pay for parking using multiple options - by contactless card payment, with cash or by registering for an online account…the first such application in the UK. Account holders can drive in and out of the car park without having to visit the payment terminal as charges are automatically debited at agreed intervals.

For those paying by cash or card, the new system also gives them the convenience of paying when they return to their car, not when they arrive. No more rushing back to the car just because their ticket is expiring. Businesses can also provide their customers with codes for free parking.

Nic Martlew, Head of Operational Services at Tandridge District Council, said: “Our aim was to provide regular users of the car park and our town centre visitors with a fast and easy way to pay for their parking. We’ve also made sure that those who are making a quick visit don’t have to pay at all because the first hour is free for everyone. “The Flowbird MiniPark system has enabled us to provide this convenience, and the customer support we received when the new system was first introduced was excellent.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Colin Bridgman .