New Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is being introduced to railway station car parks at Colchester and Manningtree after it proved successful in Ipswich.

Rail company Greater Anglia and its partner NCP are bringing in the technology at 17 other stations across the network after the trial at Ipswich, Cambridge and Broxbourne proved successful.

The new system means there are a variety of ways of paying for your parking, including using a machine near the station or paying by phone – users will have the chance to delay paying their bill up to midnight the day after their visit.

Greater Anglia director Simone Bailey said: “We know customers who drive to stations want to be able to park as quickly and easily as possible, which is why we’re committed to improving parking across the Greater Anglia network, making life a little easier for our customers.”