Council will begin trialling an Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system next week to find out if the technology could be used for parking compliance in Ashburton.

The first phase of the trial will begin on 10 November and continue until Christmas. People can expect to see a Council-marked vehicle fitted with a camera patrolling on Burnett, Cass, Tancred and East Streets.

Group Manager of Compliance and Development Ian Hyde said that the first phase of the trial was about comparing data collected by the ANPR system and Council’s traffic wardens.

“Our traffic wardens will still be issuing tickets for over-staying in parks during the first phase but a live trial with tickets generated by the new technology is planned for next year.”

Mr Hyde said the vehicle would be driven around the block up to several times a day, with each trip replicated by a traffic warden on foot.

“We’ll be comparing the data from the camera and the wardens, as each parking space has to be defined by its time limit, or if it is a mobility park.

"In the second part of the trial next year, we’ll look at how the system generates tickets and how they are sent to vehicle owners, because currently most people get an infringement notice on their windscreen.

“We understand that some people might also have concerns about privacy, and we want to reassure the community that the cameras automatically blur faces. The system is designed to focus on a vehicle’s number plate, make, model and colour.”

Information collected, along with the vehicle’s GPS location, will be securely recorded and stored in a cloud-based system that integrates with Council’s existing parking data.

Access to this data will be restricted to authorised Council staff and used solely for the purposes of the trial.

The wider trial will also look at identifying vehicles with expired Warrants of Fitness or registrations, in line with Council’s existing enforcement responsibilities.

Following the full trial, a report on how or whether to proceed with implementing the technology will be presented to elected members for consideration.

Below: The camera mounted on the side of a Council vehicle.