The new barriers recently installed at the entrance to the Mitchell Centre car park are equipped with vehicle recognition to prevent drivers' making use of the 2-hour free parking period (3 hours off-peak) more than once in any one day. If you take advantage of the free parking period and then return to the car park during the same day hoping to benefit from a second free park, you will now be charged for the time from the end of the first free period to the moment you leave the car park the second time – and that could be an expensive surprise.