Supermarket Lidl has introduced new parking rules which could see some motorists unknowingly hit with a hefty fine. A new 'check-in' system has been implemented to stop the abuse of parking spaces by people who aren't actually their customers. Under the new rules, shoppers will need to register in-store by filling in their car details and scanning their receipt.
Drivers will be photographed entering and leaving the store using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) which will then be checked against the customer's details. Motorists will be required to scan their title receipt at new parking terminals inside the store, usually located between checkout and the store exit. Anyone caught using parking for 90 minutes or more will also be penalised with a £90 charge. The company told Somerset Live: "Lidl has car park management systems in place at stores where car parks are subject to misuse."These are in place to manage the availability of parking spaces, to ensure that customers take priority.
"The type of in-store validation system installed in our Castle Street store is in common use now across different industry sectors including multi-storey car parks, airports, hotels, train stations, leisure facilities, allowing genuine customers to validate their parking."The system allows for up to 90 minutes of parking, with a 10 minute grace period, should a customer change their mind."To validate parking, customers can simply scan their till receipt and register their vehicle at one of the terminals in the store.