End of Pay & Dismay Parking Machines ?

[AleNod]

Pay and display parking machines to be scrapped in major change for UK drivers

Campaigners say the move over to widespread app use would be “disastrous for anyone without a smartphone” and could “alienate some people, including the elderly”

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Toby]

Not good, as it doesnt mean free parking

 

[Mus Musculus]

Not good, as it doesnt mean free parking

Where I live (small town) we have no paid parking, but what I find even more interesting, is that parking in Ely—same county—around 30 minutes away, they also don't charge for parking anywhere in the city.

That allows for people to come around from all over, see the cathedral, and enjoy the river/local commerce without any worry about parking fees. I am pretty sure the increased tourism revenues pretty much cover for any parking revenue the local council would be making...

Edited: grammar.

 

[t-tony]

I spotted this at lunchtime and wondered how long it will be before the local councils "adapt" the idea and adopt it.

Tony.

 

[AleNod]

Thats what I thought. The trigger seems to be turning off of the 3G signal. That being the case, its going to roll out countrywide. Just a matter of time . . .

Which I'm going to enjoy. Pay by app only ? I dont have card details on my phone. Thats going to be problematic . . .

 

[motco]

What has 3G or any other system of remote contact got to do with pay and display? Surely you buy a ticket for a given period (potentially unfair to make you guess) and a warden wanders around checking the status of each car's bought time, and logging those that have exceed it. No internet contact at all!

 

[Jam03]

I’ve not paid for parking with coins for several years now. I do however have 5 parking apps on my phone.

 

[AleNod]

What has 3G or any other system of remote contact got to do with pay and display? Surely you buy a ticket for a given period (potentially unfair to make you guess) and a warden wanders around checking the status of each car's bought time, and logging those that have exceed it. No internet contact at all!

I don't know if I'm honest, but the article seems to be blaming 3G. I'm guessing there is two way communications, so the 'base' can download new parking charges, the machine can send messages that its still alive and when it needs the money box emptying and the printer needs more paper. That kind of thing. Without those messages you need human beings to make additional rounds to check every machine, that quickly gets expensive and makes it uneconomic.

At a guess . . .

 

[motco]

Thanks AleNod, that makes sense.

 

[Oddly Godly]

The trouble I have is every car park I go in seems to use a different app.

 

[Toby]

I’ve not paid for parking for years

Think I've only ever paid for parking once, in all my time driving

 

[Jam03]

Think I've only ever paid for parking once, in all my time driving

Bravo! Less stopping, more driving!