THE days are numbered for drivers who dodge paying a car parking fee by accepting the gift of a valid ticket from a fellow motorist.

Keypads are to be installed into the ticket machines on each of the ten Bromsgrove town centre car parks to make it more difficult for drivers to get away without paying.

All motorists using the car parks will have to key in their vehicle's full registration details to obtain a ticket.

John Moody, Bromsgrove District Council's head of engineering, said: "The keypads are being introduced to crack down on non-payers. It will stop the exchange of tickets and the practice of borrowing tickets to get out of paying parking fines."

He added: "The new system will make it fairer for everyone by ensuring that those who abide by the rules do not end up subsidising those who abuse them."

It will cost around £10,500 to install the new equipment, which is expected to be up and running by the beginning of December.

The council expects to recoup the installation costs by the end of April and thereafter show an increased profit. Currently, car parking fees amount to around £800,000 a year.

Similar systems are already in operation in neighbouring Droitwich Spa, Pershore and Worcester.

Worcester saw a 20 per cent increase in ticket sales when keypads were introduced on city car parks.

pete.lammas@midlands.

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