Number plate recognition to replace wardens

Coventrykid
Coventrykid Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited April 2023 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Whilst staying at the beautiful Bourton-on-the-Water Caravan Club Site in the Cotswolds I have been made aware that number plate recognition is being trialed there with a view to REPLACING the wardens. I'm not happy with this idea as I feel that Wardens do a necessary job. I'm concerned about the security and cleanliness of the site suffering. What do other members think? 

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Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #2

    It’s my belief that the trials are being held to enhance check-in rather than to replace staff. However, if you bear in mind that camc is struggling to recruit site staff, what you were told starts to make sense.

    But, like the trial of smart metering of electricity at 2 sites, it is only a trial .

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #3

    It won’t happen - but having stayed at dozens of sites without resident wardens who were permanently on site  I didn’t lose sleep. 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited April 2023 #4
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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #5
  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #6

    By who were you made aware of this?

    It might replace wardens at the checking in part especially with pre-payment before arrival but not altogether unless there are self cleaning facilities and sites. From the FAQs

    ...freeing up staff for other important jobs on site...

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #7

    There are no facilities, other than taps, bollards and bins at Notgrove. Not a huge amount of grass either, but it is a lovely little Site, one we like a lot. It’s a half hour from Moreton in Marsh Site, so might well be staffed and managed from there, if on-site staff were withdrawn. 

    We have used a lot of CLs where there isn’t always someone around, we have used unstaffed Forestry Commission legal overnight stops, and other such places. We simply get on with it, but recognise it doesn’t suit everyone. If we get somewhere, and think it might not be safe, we don’t stop, but move on. 

    The only aspect that might give us pause for thought would be a trespass by Travellers. However this does happen on staffed sites and there’s little staff can actually do when it does. 

    I’m not sure if Notgrove has seasonal pitches, if so, I wouldn’t leave an unattended van there without a staff presence.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #8

    There's a couple of statements made in this thread that I'd be interested to know where the facts came from if anyone would care to share.

    1:- That the ANPR camera entry system is to replace staff. 

    2: Club are struggling to recruit staff.

     

    JK

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #9

    I can’t deal with 1, JK, which seems to be contrary to the club's statement.

    As for 2, I may well be in error as I made the mistake of recounting something another poster said on numerous occasions. I should have known better😳. Apologies if that comment is not factual.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #10

    The recruitment area of the website is still asking about interest in working on Club Sites JK. Both as Assistant, and Manager for those with experience. Surely if they are advertising, they are recruiting, even if it’s for cover staff? 

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #11

    Would that be the poster that's not been here for a while?

    JK

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #12

    Tinwheeler mentioned the club are struggling to recruit ttda. Just because they're still advertising doesn't mean they are struggling which as far as I know at present they're not.

    JK

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #13

    That was probably amusing 10 years ago ddwink

    JK

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #14

    🤐

  • Coventrykid
    Coventrykid Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2023 #15

    The warden. 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #16

    Thanks for the reply. CK.  As I said it might replace wardens at check in but on most sites wardens will still be there, recruitment is ongoing. On smaller or satellite sites, like the trial site, there might be a warden onsite overnight but site jobs will still have to be done.  

  • Coventrykid
    Coventrykid Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2023 #17

    Bourton-on-the-Water site has both both seasonal pitches and caravan storage. It's also had problems with travellers. 

  • Coventrykid
    Coventrykid Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2023 #18

    It was the warden who informed me. 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #19

    I did wonder CK, we only use it occasionally, but I know that area sees a lot of Travellers. A lot of old lay-bys were lost down the Fosse Way route years ago when there were a lot of Travellers pitching up in places. All depends on the gating system I suppose.

    It’s a lovely little Site, would hate for the Club to lose it, these simple little sites are dwindling fast.

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 850 ✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #20

    I know for the original trial it said no loss of staff, but it was a trial, so not set in stone! So maybe the Club have seen this is a way of reducing costs, by reducing staff. They wouldn’t tell anyone if they have.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #21

    It's amusing how in a few posts and a possible unhappy or confused staff member it's been decided that the anpr trial is to reduce staff. It is a trial that's still in the present not the past. There are more sites tasking part with different types of equipment. I don't want to spoil the fun but the whole point is to make arrivals and entry / exit a smoother process. It's already been stated that it will free up staff to be able to do other duties. In fact we've had recent comms. from the top to verify that. 

    JK

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #22

    I presume NPR will aid sites like Notgrove (Bourton) if they have storage areas with people needing access? Ashridge is similar and can be busy with people coming and going.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #23

    If the Club communicated more effectively with the Membership JK, it would go a long way to trashing some of the “ have you heard” type of speculation. 

    What I am wondering is if it will make later arrivals, post 8pm, a possibility. If no visit to reception is required, details have been given to visitor, and payment up front has been done, then I cannot see why it would be a problem. 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,594 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #24

    But how will you stop someone turning up at some ungodly hour?

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #25

    I suppose you program the ANPR only to operate within certain hours? We were on a site in Devon last year and access was via ANPR but it only lasted until mid day on the day of departure so there was obviously some way they could limit access.

    David

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited April 2023 #26

    if you're pitched on the other club's suites, then there is no access or departure during silent hours (2300 till 0700) .. they seem to manage.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2023 #27

    I obviously can't comment ttda but even when information is forthcoming certain folk are all too eager to pull it to pieces word by word. Social media lends itself to that "have you heard" speculation and at times factual information isn't as much fun as there's nothing to get negative over.

    Post 8pm arrivals . It doesn't happen much but on the occasion when for example an incident on a motorway holds things up for hours and we then adopt a flexible approach to let folks on later there's always a raft of complaints to answer to afterwards, much the same as the thousands of complaints earlier in the day the network had when we used to be flexible with arrival times. Where do you draw the line, arrivals at midnight?undecided Sounds like a free for all and hopefully after I'm long gonesurprised But, times change and who knows what the future holds. 

    JK

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #28

    As far as I know WN, if you are staying on a Club Site, (that is once booked in, as per the current norm) once you have a barrier key, you can come and go at whatever time you please. Certainly you get folks having late nights out, setting off somewhere early morning.

    I’m just wondering if it might be possible. I’m not sure how clever the ANPR system will be, will it be able to bar new arrivals pre 1pm and post 8pm, but still allow others to come and go as they please? 🙂

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,040 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #29

    I’m sort of having a bit of a problem getting my head around being locked in, or locked out of a Site at certain times to be honest. I fully respect the need for quiet around others, but in the past we have had some very late nights while away, and we have got up really early to catch ferries etc……

    🤔

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited April 2023 #30
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  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #31

    The ferry pitches at Rookesbury are outside the barrier, don’t know about others. Some sites we have stoped on abroad have locked the barrier at 10 pm and you have to park outside. I don’t have any issue with that. It normally reopens at 7am. If you want to set off off early to visit something you can park outside. Obviously if you want to leave with your camping unit, you can’t. Again I don’t have an issue with that, it is quite early enough for folk to be up and about making a noise. Even if you are very careful with everything else a large Diesel engine isn’t that quiet on a still morning.