The MECCS system provides the solution. A hand-held unit incorporates a unique and powerful software program developed by Legion that can be programmed to a client’s bespoke requirements to record parking violations.  The unit reports to Legion’s back office staff in real time via GPRS.

Armed with the new handheld unit, Legion’s Parking Attendants patrol the Prescot and Kirkby car parks, inputting vehicle registration numbers into the unit and highlighting any that are in contravention of the parking regulations. Used in conjunction with a digital camera, the combined data offers Legion a powerful weight of evidence to prove the misuse of the parking facilities.

Legion’s Notice Processing Department handles all the administrative procedures involved in recovering fines and dealing with appeals.  The GPRS technology means fines can be paid in real time and Legion are currently in the process of establishing a payment system which will enable motorists to make payment by credit card at the time of the violation.  Unpaid fines are tracked using Legion’s search facility with DVLA Swansea.

Steve Myers, the Council’s Town Centres Manager, is delighted with the results of MECCS trial.

“Our town centre car parks are free of charge and very popular with shoppers and visitors,” he explained.  “Enforcement in the car parks is necessary to ensure that there are enough spaces for short-stay visitors in Prescot and Kirkby.  Legion’s  MECCS handheld unit provides more accurate evidence to be able to respond to appeals, and as a result more fines can be enforced through the courts if necessary. It shows how Legion and Knowsley Council have worked together to improve the parking facilities available for visitors to our town centres.”

The MECCS system can be programmed to individual clients’ bespoke requirements, and is designed to execute a limited waiting period, although it can easily be programmed to respond to any other parking violation that may be unique to a specific customer’s needs, which could include disabled bay abuse, improper parking, or return to a location within too short a period.  The system has been designed to avoid the disruption to existing parking routines and procedures associated with the generic and labour-intensive systems currently used by other parking companies. 

MECCS has been developed in response to the growing problems of car park abuse by unauthorised users.  As well as local authorities, the service will help retailers, hotels, medical centres and other organisations whose car parking facilities are being used by people who are not their customers, staff or visitors.  Apart from the inconvenience this causes to genuine users of the car parks, in the case of retail outlets it can result in loss of business as motorists unable to park will go elsewhere to shop.