Two Rivers is in the heart of Staines-upon-Thames, one of London’s key commercial centres, with a strategic position close to both the city and Heathrow Airport.
Officially opened in 2002, Two Rivers shopping centre is part of wider urban improvements in the town of Staines. Designed as an open-air, mixed-use retail and leisure destination, it blends the convenience of a retail park with high street elements.
Today, the shopping centre welcomes over 1.8 million car visits annually, equivalent to around 46,000 per week, and continues to grow by approximately 4-5% year on year.
The facility provides 1,100 paid parking spaces, with barrier-controlled entry and an integrated License Plate Recognition (LPR) system across two car parks and three entry points.
Following the successful installation of the original system in 2016, Two Rivers turned to HUB once again to upgrade the site with the latest parking technology and further improve the visitor experience.
Following a thorough observation of the Two Rivers’ daily operations, HUB team provided an updated hybrid parking solution that seamlessly integrates LPR technology with a ticketed barrier entry system. The site includes 2 full payment terminals, 6 cashless payment machines, 5 entry units and 5 pay-at-exit stations.
The parking journey is designed to be simple and intuitive. On arrival, LPR technology automatically identifies the vehicle and grants access to the site, issuing a ticket only when a registration is not recognised.
When leaving, visitors can choose to pay either at a pay station using their vehicle registration number or directly at the exit lane via the contactless CHIP & PIN terminal. The LPR system then verifies the vehicle and automatically opens the barrier, providing a seamless exit experience.
During peak periods, congestion at Two Rivers can escalate rapidly, with queues forming at entry points and creating a ‘knock-on’ effect for surrounding access roads. To address this, a bi-directional lane was introduced as a flexible traffic management solution, maximising the use of the available space where only three lanes could be accommodated. This dynamic lane configuration allows the system to respond to real-time demand patterns, operating as an additional entry lane during high-volume morning arrivals and providing extra exit capacity when needed.
As part of the wider site upgrade, HUB also worked with Two Rivers to introduce parking enforcement across a barrierless parking area serving a nearby hotel and supermarket. The solution combines LPR technology with pay-on-foot functionality to simplify parking operations and improve compliance. The site is managed through HUB’s JMS management platform, which integrates LPR, access control, parking guidance and CCTV systems into a single interface, providing operators with greater visibility and control across the facility.
The JMS platform also provides tailored reporting tools, giving the team access to key operational insights such as length of stay, arrival trends, and tariff performance.
Joanna Hall – Centre Manager for Two Rivers
“The introduction of new parking technology on site represents a significant step forward in how vehicle access and traffic flow are managed. By integrating intelligent systems such as ANPR, real-time occupancy monitoring, and automated payment solutions, the car park becomes far more responsive to demand throughout the day.”
Chris Hawkins, Managing Director, UK
“When a customer stays with you for over ten years and then comes back to you to modernise their site, it’s a clear reflection of the relationship that’s been built. That level of trust isn’t created overnight, it comes from consistently delivering, understanding their needs, and evolving alongside them.”