Drivers Fined £100 Due to ANPR 'Double Dipping' Camera Glitch
Motorists across the country are being unfairly slapped with £100 parking fines despite strictly following road rules, all because of a technical malfunction known as the 'double dipping' glitch in Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera systems. This widespread issue has left many drivers frustrated and out of pocket, highlighting significant flaws in the technology meant to enforce parking regulations.
How the ANPR System Fails Drivers
Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras are designed to log vehicle entry and exit times, calculating how long a car has been parked and automatically issuing a Parking Charge Notice if it detects a violation. However, errors in these systems are falsely suggesting that cars have been parked for extended hours, leading to incorrect fines. According to former Home Office biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner Fraser Sampson, ANPR systems are approximately 97 percent accurate, but this still translates to millions of misreads annually, causing chaos for innocent road users.
The 'Double Dipping' Problem Explained
One of the most prevalent issues is the 'double dipping' glitch, which occurs when a driver makes two separate visits to the same car park within a short timeframe. If the ANPR camera fails to record either the first exit or the second entry, it incorrectly assumes the vehicle remained parked for the entire duration between visits. This results in unjust fines being issued to motorists who have complied with all parking rules.
Senior researcher James Aitchison, who fell victim to this glitch last year, shared his experience: "It was the result of double dipping, as the camera didn’t register me leaving the car park on one day or entering the car park the following day." To contest the fine, he had to provide extensive evidence, including Google Location data from his phone, screenshots of his whereabouts on the relevant days, and train ticket stubs to prove his movements.
Investigations and Broader Implications
A recent investigation by Which? has shed light on why ANPR technology is plagued by so many inaccuracies. While the industry touts a 97% accuracy rate, the remaining 3% leads to daily misreadings that unfairly penalize drivers. On the latest Which? podcast, experts discuss not only the double dipping issue but also related problems such as criminals cloning number plates to evade charges like ULEZ fees and parking fines. This raises serious concerns about the reliability of automated enforcement systems and their impact on motorists' rights and finances.
As more drivers come forward with similar stories, calls are growing for improved oversight and fixes to these technological flaws to prevent further unjust penalties.
