New stricter parking rules in downtown Thorold go into effect Thursday.
Gone are the days motorists can ignore the two hour free parking offer and leave their cars for hours on end.
With the city's downtown going through a resurgence, parking is getting harder to come by.
Starting March 1st, drivers entering free lots will have to input their license plate number into an electronic machine, that info is sent to hand held phones carried by bylaw officers who will then be able to tell which motorists haven't started paying for their parking spot after the two hour free period expires.
For people who work downtown, the city is offering permit parking in three lots at a cost of $45 a month.