PARKING in Marlow is set to begin its transformation next month as automated systems are installed on the town’s car parks.

Wycombe District Councillor Alex Collingwood has confirmed the roll out of Automatic Number Plate Recognition and electric barriers should begin in June.

One of the biggest changes will see the introduction of a 30 minute minimum for the first time throughout the council-controlled 'Central' car park behind Sainsbury’s on West Street.

And the current 30 minute bays closest to the store are being replaced with disabled spaces.

Cllr Collingwood told the Marlow Chamber of Commerce this week: "We have changed the first three in Wycombe and in Marlow, we are probably going to be doing two or three at the end of June and July.

"The 30 minute bays behind Sainsbury’s will be replaced with disabled bays and the whole car park will become a 30 minute minimum.

"We are trying to make the whole system much more user friendly."

After a successful trial in High Wycombe, ANPR is set to be rolled out across all WDC-run car parks in Marlow, with the exception of Riley Road and Dean Street.

The system works by reading number plates as they enter and exit car-parks and automatically calculates how long vehicles have stayed.

Drivers can make payment by cash, credit card, via the internet or on their mobile phones, with the council hopeful parking tickets will become a thing of the past.

Tariffs will remain the same once the system has been installed.