New coin won’t work still at town car park
TICKET machines at a busy town centre car park are still unable to accept the new £1 coin more than two months after its introduction.
People using the NCPrun multi-storey at the Britannia Centre are asked to use other coins to pay for parking charges.
It has left frustrated customers scrabbling for change and having to stockpile old-style pound coins.
Businessman Adam Swain parks there everyday.
He said the situation was “ridiculous” and added: “I’m having to save up the old pound coins now just so I can park there.”
The new 12-sided pound piece came into circulation on March 28 and was dubbed the “most secure” in the world, featuring a hologram at the bottom which shows a £ symbol and the number one depending on the light.
It’s introduction was largely due to the ease with which the older £1 could be faked.
The Royal Mint estimated around one in 30 old £1 coins in circulation today were counterfeit.
Last year more than 200,000 new £1 coins were sent out for “testing”.
It meant retailers, vending machine operators and car park companies could plan alterations to any equipment relying on coin payment.
Most people experienced little difficulty when the new £1 started to appear in their change at the end of March.
Supermarket trolleys readily accepted them, as did vending machines.
It took only a software update to bring the car park ticket machines into line at sites run by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.
However, it is thought the NPC machines being an older style would need to be tackled differently.
A NCP spokesman said: “NCP is working closely with all its parking equipment suppliers to fit in with their national rollout dates for the new pound coin upgrades.
“Most have already taken place and some are in the process.
“This is a rollout programme that is currently taking place but we are unable to give confirmed site by site dates.
“On those sites that are yet to be new pound coin compliant we have notices up indicating that customers should use other coins or use another method of payment, and we are able to offer a pay by phone service as an alternative method of payment on this site.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”