ANPR Systems and Beyond: What’s next for parking

In car park management, visibility is everything and the right ANPR system can help you see more.

Knowing who’s on site, for how long, and whether they’re following the rules underpins better access, smoother operations, and a stronger customer experience. That’s where ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) come in, and where Intelli-Park solutions like eCam and View360 are now taking things even further.

What is ANPR?

ANPR is a technology that automatically reads and records vehicle number plates as they enter or exit a car park. Cameras capture registration data, which is matched against internal rules, for example, overstaying limits, valid permits, or prebooked access. This data is then used to monitor compliance, generate enforcement notices, or provide usage insights. 

ANPR can also support barrier-free parking, help automate payments and reduce the need for on-site patrols.

How ANPR Helps

For car park operators, property managers, and estates teams, ANPR systems deliver several clear advantages:

• Reduces manual checks and the need for on-site enforcement. 

• Deters unauthorised parking through automated monitoring. 

• Supports fair enforcement with time-stamped evidence. 

• Provides data to analyse trends like peak usage and repeat offenders when combined with solutions like our iHub platform. 

Moving Beyond ANPR 

While ANPR is a valuable starting point, it often only covers perimeter activity. To monitor activity inside your site, such as misuse of EV bays or blocked access zones, more powerful solutions are needed.

That’s where Intelli-Park’s eCam and View360 can help.

These tools take the core strengths of ANPR and combine them with Intelli-Park software for targeted, intelligent site monitoring.

eCam: Flexible Enforcement, Anywhere

eCam is a solar-powered, wireless enforcement solution designed to provide coverage where fixed ANPR isn’t practical, like delivery zones, isolated bays, or private residential roads. It combines built-in ANPR with high-resolution imaging, capturing a wide range of breaches including parking on double yellows, no-park zones, or unauthorised stays.

Because it’s wireless and eco-friendly, eCam is quick to install and cost-effective to deploy at scale and across multiple sectors. 

Forest Trading Estate in Walthamstow saw a 30% PCN reduction in just seven months after eCams were installed on their site, and other sites have reported compliance increases of up to 70% in a year through eCam.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust uses eCam to ensure that disabled and staff bays remain available, reducing patient and staff complaints. Meanwhile, at Saffron Square, and Berewood Estate, the technology is helping enforce compliance at residential sites where traditional enforcement methods had fallen short.

View360: Total Visibility, Minimal Disruption

View360 uses AI-powered cameras to provide complete car park coverage, scanning for violations across EV charging stations, double yellows, and more. It operates 24/7 without the need for patrols or groundworks, making it ideal for retail, healthcare, and campus environments.

With View360 you’re preventing issues before they escalate. It flags breaches in real time, allowing for proactive enforcement and stronger site control. And with all data integrated into Intelli-Park’s iHub dashboard, property managers can quickly spot trends and make informed changes.

It’s a solution that is transforming parking management.

Final Word

ANPR remains a cornerstone of smart parking but for full control, tools like eCam and View360 take enforcement and monitoring to the next level. Whether you’re managing a residential estate, a shopping centre, or a mixed-use development, these solutions help improve compliance, reduce complaints, and deliver a better experience for everyone on site.