PARKING at Eastbourne’s Beacon shopping centre is set to change this week (13 November) with the introduction of a new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system and app-based payment option.
From Thursday, the traditional paper ticket system will be replaced by cameras that record vehicle registration plates as drivers enter and exit the car park. Shoppers will then pay for their stay by entering their registration number at a payment machine and using a bank card.
Parking charges, which have remained unchanged for two years, will rise from £1.40 to £1.80 per hour, and from £2.80 to £3.30 for two hours.
Motorists can, however, benefit from discounted rates and a faster exit by creating a free Member Account. By scanning the QR codes displayed on tariff boards and payment machines, users can register their card for automatic payments, receive emailed receipts, and bypass the payment machines altogether.
Members will also gain access to exclusive offers and promotions from participating retailers within The Beacon, with further details to be announced once the new system launches.
Centre management has assured shoppers that personal data collected through the new system will not be sold or shared.
Mark Powell, General Manager at The Beacon, said that improvements to the payment system for the car park were essential.
He said: “I realise that change can sometimes bring its own set of challenges, but our new parking system will prove to be far more efficient and easier for shoppers to use. If we experience initial teething problems, please do bear with us. They will be rectified as swiftly as possible.
“Nobody likes to see a price increase, but our existing parking system has come to the end of its useful life. Our new ticketless operation will make the whole process much easier for motorists. And parking at The Beacon remains very good value when you compare our tariffs with other paid parking sites in town.”
