Case Study

Transforming Community Parking in Llangollen

Llangollen, a picturesque town in Wales, faced challenges with its local car park (Royal Pavilion), previously serviced by the local council. Revenue was low, machines in a poor state of repair, signage was outdated, and the site lacked modern infrastructure. Ocean Parking was brought in to modernise the space, resulting in dramatic improvements both in operations and community benefit.

Results

+1000%

Increased Revenue

PCN's issued

100%

client satisfaction

The impact was immediate and remarkable:

3-Day Revenue Exceeded 15% of the Previous Annual Total: In just one bank holiday weekend, the new system generated approximately 15% of the revenue taken at site in the entire previous year.
Zero PCNs Issued Initially: Ocean focused on fairness over fines, opting not to issue PCNs during the adjustment period. Following this, Ocean only issued PCNs to those who had not paid anything (vehicles that had paid and overstayed were not issued with PCNs)
Wider Community Impact: As the car park sits on a key route for access to the town, the local railway, and serves as a venue for numerous outdoor activities. As such, the upgrades have directly enhanced the town’s appeal for visitors and locals alike.

National Recognition Potential: Due to the breadth of improvements, the Royal Pavilion, Llangollen car park, will be put forward as a candidate for “Car Park of the Year.”

The Problem

The Royal Pavilion, Llangollen car park, part of the International Eisteddfod Centre, was underperforming:

Annual revenue appeared to be poor, despite high tourist footfall.

Machines were outdated and unreliable.

Signage was insufficient and not bilingual, which was a problem in a Welsh-speaking area.

There appeared to be minimal oversight and infrequent patrols by local authorities and community access and integration were suboptimal.

Services Supplied

ANPR

Car Park Management

Pay and Display

Related Tags

#ANPR

#Parking

#Revenue

The Solution

Ocean Parking delivered a tailored solution focused on ethical enforcement, community integration, and technological innovation:

Infrastructure Upgrade: Installed bilingual (Welsh/English) signage, new, solar powered, touch screen pay-and-display machines, and solar-powered ANPR cameras.
Community Sensitivity: Offered a two-week PCN grace period to avoid penalising drivers unfamiliar with the new system.
Green Technology: Introduced solar-powered infrastructure and engaged with EV charging providers to plan future installations.

Accessibility Enhancements: Planned for pre-bookable spaces for canoeists and caravans, expanding even further, the site’s utility and reach.

We’re genuinely impressed with the results delivered by Ocean Parking. The site feels safe and welcoming, thanks to excellent lighting and well-placed cameras. Entry and exit are seamless with contactless payment and license plate recognition. What also stood out is their commitment to sustainability—solar panels are already in place, and we’re now exploring their EV charging solution. The improvements we’ve seen at Llangollen have exceeded expectations. Revenue is up, and the car park now feels like a real asset to the community. The service we receive from the whole team is second to none.

Keith Potts