Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations his Department has received on the use of ANPR in municipal car parks since 4 July 2024.

In January 2024, Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL), together with the British Parking Association and the Local Government Association written jointly to the department and the Department for Transport recommending that the government grant ANPR powers for civil parking enforcement.

The use of ANPR, or indeed any surveillance technology, as the sole means of enforcement of parking contravention by Local Authorities has been restricted by the Deregulation Act 2015. This means that local authorities cannot issue Penalty Charge Notices via post following the detection of a parking contravention by surveillance technology in all but a limited number of cases; for example, if the motorist drives away before the ticket can be issued or in certain circumstances on-street like bus lanes and red routes. This is to make non-compliant motorists aware that they are contravening parking restrictions at the time of the contravention.