Parking enforcement

Municipality of Gouda

Parking enforcement using a scanning vehicle (via ParkeerService)

Last change on 2nd of July 2026, at 12:07 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: DPIA
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

• Traffic
• Public Order and Safety

Begin date

2022-04

Contact information

[e-mail]

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The scanning vehicle (Brickyard/Arvoo) helps to check whether parking charges have been paid where required in Gouda. This check is automated. The vehicle reads a vehicle’s number plate and sends this information, along with the location and time, to the National Parking Register (NPR). The NPR database responds to indicate whether or not you have a valid parking authorisation. Communication with the NPR is secure. The scanning application (Brickyard) checks for the existence of a parking authorisation a maximum of two times. If there appears to be no parking authorisation, the photograph taken is displayed in a blurred form for manual verification of the parking incident. If no parking authorisation exists, you will be issued with a fine (additional parking tax assessment).

Considerations

This process helps to enforce the parking charge obligation and improve compliance. The scanning vehicle improves compliance with parking regulations through regular and accurate checks. This contributes to the fair use of parking spaces. The system is more efficient than manual checks and saves time and resources.

Human intervention

If a comparison between the photograph taken by the scanning vehicle and the National Vehicle Register (NPR) reveals that there is no valid parking authorisation, a manual check is carried out by a member of staff. Only after this manual check can a fine (parking charge notice) be issued. There is no automated decision-making involved.

Risk management

The scanning vehicle takes photographs of the number plate and the immediate surroundings of the car. Any irrelevant privacy-sensitive data is blurred out of the photographs immediately. The photographs are used solely to verify parking status and are deleted within a few hours if a parking entitlement exists.

If there is no valid parking authorisation, the photos are sent in encrypted form to Brickyard’s servers and stored securely. Only authorised staff have access, via two-factor authentication (2FA), to the application in which the blurred photos are assessed. If a valid parking authorisation is confirmed, the photograph of the number plate is deleted (after a maximum of 48 hours) and is not stored. In the event of an appeal against a parking fine, the photographs may be used as evidence.

Legal basis

Under Articles 225, 234 and 235 of the Municipalities Act, parking tax may be levied. In the municipality of Gouda, the Gouda Parking Regulations 2024 and the Regulations on the Levying and Collection of Parking Taxes 2026 are relevant in this regard.

Links to legal bases

• Article 225 of the Local Government Act: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416/2026-06-04/0#TiteldeelIV_HoofdstukXV_Paragraaf3_Artikel225
• Section 234 of the Local Government Act: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416/2026-06-04#TiteldeelIV_HoofdstukXV_Paragraaf4_Artikel234
• Article 235 of the Local Government Act: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416/2026-06-04#TiteldeelIV_HoofdstukXV_Paragraaf4_Artikel235
• Parking Regulations: https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR715623/
• Regulation on the Levying and Collection of Parking Charges 2026: https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR755358/

Elaboration on impact assessments

The DPIA was completed on 20 May 2025. On 12 June 2026, the DPIA was assessed by the Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO concluded that the DPIA complies with the requirements of Article 35(7) of the General Data Protection Regulation. In doing so, the DPO indicated that the main privacy risks relate to the governance of the processing of personal data and made a number of recommendations in this regard.

Impact assessment

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

Operations

Data

Number plate, parking permit (NPR), parking bay (location), time, date

Technical design

The scanning vehicle is equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras that can recognise number plates within parking zones. The cameras are only used in areas where paid parking or permit-only parking applies. GPS and the mapped parking plan are used to determine where images may be captured. Images of the surrounding area are immediately rendered unrecognisable (blurred). Only data required for enforcement purposes remains visible, such as the number plate, the location, the time and characteristics of the parking location, and this data is sent in encrypted form from the scanning vehicle (Arvoo) to the Brickyard application. The data is compared with the National Parking Register (NPR) to check whether a parking authorisation exists.

If the automated check indicates that a parking authorisation is likely not in place, the photograph is stored securely and submitted to an authorised ParkeerService employee. This employee assesses whether an offence has been committed. In doing so, they also take into account the circumstances surrounding the vehicle, such as loading and unloading or passengers getting in and out. Only after a human review can a parking fine be issued.

The scanning vehicle is operated solely by authorised ParkeerService staff; it is not left unattended in public spaces and is parked in a secure area when not in use.

External provider

Brickyard/Arvoo