A church in Kent has installed number plate-reading cameras to stop non-believers using its private car park.
Signs around the Holy Family Catholic Church in Maidstone warn that any motorists who park without attending the site will be fined.
The roughly eight-space car park has been increasingly rammed with anyone but church-goers while new houses are being built across the road.
Church officials say the car park has become an ‘environment of intimidation’, with drivers allegedly clashing with worshippers and staff.
Litter often covers the car park, they said, and other ‘problematic parking behaviour’ includes a ‘disregard for the property’s upkeep’.
To combat this, the church last month installed automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, often used by police.
‘Parishioners with unregistered vehicles, or visitors to the parish, will need to register their vehicle on the tablets being provided in the church and hall,’ a newsletter to worshippers said.
Locals insist, however, that they have no choice but to use the church car park, which is next to a primary school, playground and a driving school.
Spaces along the road are few and far between during the school run and during the day due to the vans there for the construction, they add.
‘It’s become a nightmare when it’s school time now or during the day,’ a local walking her dog said.
‘Cars are left on both sides of the road and you can see buses are struggling to get through when it’s busy.
‘I know people who have used the car park before and there’s never been a problem.’
Another resident said that people have been using the church car park for some three decades without fuss.
‘It’s got busier with the new homes being built further down the road, but that always happens when there’s works going on.
‘[Not letting locals park here is] disgraceful.’
One of the nearest car parks to the area is in a Morrisons about a mile away, according to Parklopedia.
Father Desmond Mbidoaka said the car park is private property and should only be used by the congregation or visitors renting its hall.
‘We sympathise with residents who previously used both the council park and our car park that was never intended for public use,’ he said.
‘Some residents had developed the habit of parking there without permission, particularly after losing the council park space.
‘However, as our private car park was being overwhelmed, we had to take action to protect access for our legitimate users.’
Councillor Dan Wilkinson said he has received no complaints about the parking situation but is hoping to contact the church.
He added: ‘Fortunately, the situation is only temporary given that it is largely related to the development opposite, though I appreciate the frustration for residents and road users and hope to find a way of easing the situation.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.