Car parks' pay-on-exit system scrapped in Truro because of 'tailgating' hack

A pay-on-exit system in a series of Truro car parks has been scrapped because too many people used cheats to avoid paying. At the weekend, motorists using the car parks, which are owned and operated by Cornwall Council, were surprised to find parking fines on their windscreens after being caught out by the change at Garras Wharf, Moorfield, and Old Bridge Street.

The local authority said the decision to switch from pay-on-exit to pay-and-display was made because the barriers were glitching half the time, and drivers would force their way out without paying by tailgating the vehicle in front of them.

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said the barriers were removed last week, and the car parks were converted back to the traditional pay-and-display method.

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She said large signs were displayed at the entrance to the car parks where barriers had previously been in place, and additional signs were installed at the pay machines and within the car parks. However, residents and visitors to the city have expressed anger at the unexpected change in the three car parks. The council appeared to make no attempt to publicise the change but did provide a few days' grace period before re-starting enforcement.

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The spokesperson said: "We have removed the barrier-controlled pay-on-exit system from the car parks in Truro where this system was in place - Garras Wharf, Moorfield, and Old Bridge Street.

"This decision was for several reasons. There have been many instances of tailgating, where drivers seeking to avoid paying for their parking drove close to other vehicles as they exited the car park, often resulting in collisions. The barriers were frequently susceptible to technical and hardware failure, as well as vandalism and feedback from drivers."

The council spokeswoman said that technology has developed since the pay-on-exit system was first introduced, and regular car park users now benefit from discounts through JustPark multi-use sessions.

More than 5,500 car park tickets either through JustPark or at the machines were purchased across the three car parks this weekend. The council spokeswoman said enforcement did not begin until Saturday, November 16, after a few days where teething problems were ironed out.

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