A HIGH-tech camera system is to be installed at a town community centre in a bid to cut out inconsiderate parking.

North Petherton's Community Centre car park is set to have a Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system installed as the centre's trustees look to clampdown on motorists abusing the current car park rules.

Trustees of the centre issued the statement announcing the move which will see a private company brought in to install the system for free, relying on the income from fines to cover the cost of their investment. 

The car park will still be open to the public and drivers will get two hours free parking under the new system.

Those needing to park for longer will be charged £1 per hour which will be payable at a machine which will be located in the car park.

Users would have the option to pay £5 to park all day up to 8pm (the proposed closing time for public car park use).

Visitors attending events at the Community Centre would enter their car registration number on a terminal in the building, exempting them from any charges, and cars exceeding the prescribed limits would be fined by the operating company.

The trustees say they are taking the measures to address problems managing the car park as a group of volunteers.

"Balancing the needs of the Community Centre with the needs of those using local amenities and shops has always been difficult," the trustees say in their statement.

"The needs of the former have to take precedence as they are the main source of income."

The trustees say the car park is currently misused by members of the public as a free car park for long periods, as a commuter car park, and by people leaving their cars who go on Berry's and National Express coach excursions.

They also have had problems with boy racers meeting there in the evenings and weekends 'over-revving engines, playing loud music and using language that could be considered offensive, sometimes into the early hours'.

The trustees say there will be clear signage, and free car parking for events such as the Church Fete and Flower Show.

The statement concludes: "We consider the above proposal to be a reasonable and fair way of meeting the requirements needed to comply with our lease as well as the needs of the general public."

However, the plans have been met with scepticism by some North Petherton residents on social media, many of whom are concerned about a lack of consultation on the proposals.

At the November meeting of North Petherton Town Council, several councillors raised concerns over the proposals, Cllr Marion Denham said she did not feel it was appropriate for a private company to make money from fining people at a community centre car park, while Cllr Bill Revans said he felt he would like to see it used on a trial basis before it was fully implemented.

Cllr Julian Taylor added he would like to see hard data produced on how often the car park was so full that legitimate users of the centre were forced to park elsewhere.

North Petherton Town Council has been approached for a comment.