This is a new one for me… I’ve just pulled into the short stay car park at Leeds Bradford Airport to collect my mother, who’s flying in from Spain, and I immediately noticed that the ticket issued from the entry barrier had my car registration number on it!
The intent seems to be to foil would-be parking charge dodgers who, like everyone, leave the car park before the free 10 minutes is up and circle round for another go, repeating until the person they’re collecting shows up. The new system makes sure that if you return within 30 minutes, you’re treated as if you never left.
Personally, I find it rather worrying that that sort of information is collected automatically. I don’t see any sign of a privacy policy anywhere. Can you think of any other ways you’re tracked and traced automatically?
Sadly most Tesco and B&Q car parks use similar systems, they’re just not tickets so it’s not so obvious.
Quite a few of those big “No return within 3 hours” signs are backed up by ANPR rather than the traditional man with a clipboard.
..and as you say, not a DPA policy in sight. :-/