More than 20 councils go cashless by replacing pay and display parking machines with apps
More than 20 councils go cashless by replacing pay and display parking machines with apps
PA
More than 20 councils in England have started going cashless by replacing pay and display parking machines with apps.
Councils have claimed the move saves money by reducing the risk of theft and avoiding the need to upgrade faulty or outdated machines.
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Half of London’s 32 councils have been impacted by the move away from cash, with Bromley and Enfield scrapping all machines.
Kensington & Chelsea have also already removed all of their machines, the BBC has revealed.
Kensington & Chelsea have also already removed all of their machines
PA
Brighton & Hove, Slough and Oxford have removed some machines or are in the process of going cashless.
Gosport Borough Council in Hampshire is among the first to remove machines which rely on the 3G mobile network.
The network is being switched off next year and the council insist the move will save £30,000 each year.
Some councils provide additional payment methods, including over the phone or in a local shop.
A parking restriction notice on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, London
PA
A survey by the RAC has also highlighted the extent to which councils have been scrapping machines.
Nearly one-in-five motorists claim their council has either scrapped machines or is consulting on doing so.
More than half, 59 per cent, were left feeling angry about the idea of machines being removed.
Among Britons aged 65 and older the number rose to 73 per cent.
Housing Secretary Michael GovePALevelling Up Secretary Michael Gove wrote to councils in April to guarantee parking services remain accessible for all.
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokeswoman said: "Councils should determine what is best for their own area and have a duty to ensure that they do not discriminate in their decision-making against older people or those with vulnerabilities."
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said: "The removal of the 3G network is posing considerable challenges to some councils who operate physical parking meters.
"This change, along with other customer trends, has led to councils digitising parts of their parking services."
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