Drivers simply hate paying to park by phone

DRIVERS are overwhelmingly rejecting paying for parking by phone, a survey has found.

Motorists find the method so inconvenient that over two-thirds would rather drive on to find a cash car park, according to the AA.

Councils, hospitals and railway stations are increasingly insisting that drivers have to use their mobile to pay for parking on certain streets and are ripping out cash meters.

The service can make life more convenient for drivers who do not have the correct change.

But, as well as being more fiddly than paying by cash, some parking firms charge up to 40p extra to pay by phone.

The motoring firm’s poll of 16,500 drivers found that 70 per cent say they are more likely to keep searching for a space rather than park in one where paying by phone is mandatory.

The systems are operated by private parking companies including RingGo, which is owned by parking giant NSL, and PayByPhone.

RingGo is an app for phones that levies a ‘convenience’ charge of up to 30p for park and ride car parks operated by local councils.

Drivers have to pay another 10p to receive a text confirmation of their stay, plus the cost of the text to their mobile operator. This is on top of charges of several pounds an hour.

PayByPhone charges a 20p administration fee, plus another 20p if drivers choose to extend their stay. Drivers who want a text confirmation that their pay- ment for parking has been accepted have to pay another 10p charge.

Meanwhile, councils are saving money from phone payment systems as they do not have to install meters or employ people to collect cash.

Many motorists are forced to pay by phone because they do not have the correct change, or because it is not accepted by the meter.

Almost a quarter of local coun- cils in England have not yet converted their parking meters to accept the new £1 coin, which entered circulation in March.

With more councils set to introduce pay by phone systems, Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: ‘All providers should make it easier to pay for parking.

‘Not everyone has a smartphone to pay via an app and not everyone is keen to talk to a robot to pay for an hour’s stay.

‘For the elderly and low income drivers, pay by phone feels almost discriminatory.’

More than 200 councils expect to generate more money from parking receipts this year as they raise the fees for on and off street parking, as well as increasing fees for permits.

Westminster Council has budgeted for a £12million increase in parking revenue for 2017/18 – the most of any council in England.

It expects to generate just under £ 70million from parking this year.

A Local Government Authority spokesman said: ‘Having a range of options to pay for parking, for residents and visitors, is the best way for councils to serve the needs of their local communities.’

‘Not keen to talk to a robot’