'We won't want people shouting 'it's our car park'... we've every right to do this'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A row has erupted after a church installed number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras on its car park with users a risk of £100 charges.

The cameras have been erected on ground at the rear of the Cornerstone Family Church at the Bethel building on Atherton Road, Hindley Green, High.

Councillors James Palmer and John Vickers have slammed the move. Coun Palmer said an elderly woman was handed a £100 parking charge, but minister Rev Robert Channings told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it had been rescinded. "We asked the parking company to allow people to park there between 9pm and 9am, so residents could park overnight and that people would have 20 minutes grace before incurring charges," he said. "The lady concerned had been there only 13 minutes, so we told the company that their equipment needed adjusting and that the charge should be waived.” READ MORE: The quiet Manchester street named one of the UK’s top hidden gems He said ANPR cameras were installed because people who hire the building had nowhere to park because too many non-users of the building were using the car park. “The problem is that people have got used to parking here and they think it’s their car park,” he added. “We’ve had people banging on the back door during Sunday services demanding the we move our cars.

But they are the people who shouldn’t be parking there. “It’s a religious meeting and we don’t want people shouting ‘it’s our car park’ at us.