All Hamilton's car parks are to become automated after studies showed $300,000 was being lost each year due to motorists dodging tickets.

From the New Year, drivers will be unable to leave the site without inserting a fully paid ticket into a machine.

Deputy Mayor Bill Black announced the move last night as he reflected on yesterday's introduction of clamping to crack down on car park ticket evaders. (Story: Page 5)

Mr. Black said upgrading the city's car parks would cost about $300,000, but that cash would quickly be recouped because people would have to buy tickets.

"We have had a real problem. Honesty has just gone out the door," Mr. Black told The Royal Gazette."We have looked at this very seriously. We have done a survey and we found more than ten percent of people that use parking lots don't buy tickets. We just can't keep going on like that.

"We have seen automated car parks in the US and they are very effective. All the equipment has been ordered and we hope that in the New Year it will be up and running. It's quite expensive, but we are losing over $300,000 a year because people are not paying their fees. We are sorry that we have to do this, but it's the only way."

At least six vehicles were clamped yesterday as Safeguard Security staff descended on car parks to target vehicles without valid parking permits or vouchers.

Mr. Black said of the clampign initiative: "It's the first time I have seen people queuing up to pay their parking fees."