Antisocial behaviour prompts tougher security at car parks

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Antisocial behaviour in two city car parks has prompted the council to tighten security measures – a move it claims will also make visits easier for drivers.

The local authority said in November it would introduce a new ticketing system and barriers at Newport’s Kingsway and Park Square car parks.

Roller shutters have been installed at the Kingsway – designed to open automatically when a vehicle approaches – and customers now unlock pedestrian doors to the car park by entering their vehicle registration.

A council spokesperson said the measures will “improve the safety of the car parks for customers by reducing instances of antisocial behaviour from non-customers”.

“The car parks are solely for the use of car park customers”, they said, adding the new keypads and shutters “will ensure that only those who are actually customers of the car parks can access them”.

The £300,000 upgrades also include new cameras, which will read drivers’ number plates upon entry to the car park.

Drivers must then enter their vehicle registration at a pay machine before exiting.

The council spokesperson said the new paperless system “will improve the customer experience by removing the need to carry around a ticket or token, and allowing for faster, smoother entry and exit from the car park”.

Drivers can also pay by card at the exit barriers – which the council spokesperson said would “help minimise queueing times at payment machines”.

“We are confident that these improvements will deliver a better, safer experience for our customers,” the council spokesperson added.

The number plate-linked system also means that unlike previously, each ticket will be linked to a specific vehicle, cutting out the ability to transfer tickets between car park users.

The new system is expected to be up and running in Park Square car park in January, following the recent launch in Kingsway.