Parking Enforcement Methods
Parking Services Branch patrols and issues tickets under the Street and Traffic Bylaw.
They use the following methods:
- Respond to public complaints about individual vehicles.
- Patrol the streets of New Westminster checking the following:
- Coin operated parking meters
- Residential permits
- Digitally monitoring issues with parking meters using real time data linkages to the metering software
- Use a license plate recognition system to monitor parking offences
License Plate Recognition System (LPR)
The City uses, as of 2017, two types of LPR system:
- Mobile and
- Static
What is LPR?
The LPR is a license plate recognition application whereby vehicles observed by cameras taking pictures, have their license plates read, recorded and checked against a pre-loaded data base using pattern recognition software. Peace officers will review and assess all information, correcting for system errors, and controlling the issuing of violation notices. The system is located in either marked City vehicles, which have four (4) cameras mounted on the vehicle, two facing forward and one to each side. The system is run on a laptop mounted in the patrol vehicle with communication using encrypted cellular technology with the City network in real time, or as a static camera at the entrance to the parkade.
Mobile Version
The Parking Services branch runs two (?) vehicles equipped with LPR camera. These vehicles are linked in real time with the City’s system which allows them to automatically verify payment at digital meters, verify the validity of residential permits, and receive notifications of police stolen vehicle lists. The system indicates if a vehicle is in violation and the Bylaw officer confirms the details, and issues the ticket. When a ticket is issued the information is transferred into the City’s Tempest Ticketing application.
Static Version
A static LPR system will be installed in the Front Street Parkade in 2017. This system records all cars entering the parkade and correlates this list with monthly parkade renters and with vehicles who paid for parking at the pay station. This system allows for more effective parking enforcement.
Data collected by the LPR system
The data collected by the LPR system is deleted 72 hours after collection unless transferred to the City’s ticketing systems because an offense has been committed.