Car parks could use online pay and display

Public car parks across the Royal Borough are pay and display.

A more convenient option to pay a parking charge is via the RingGo app, which is used by millions of motorists across the UK.

The current method used by the RingGo app in RBWM car parks is ‘Start – Stop’ parking, requiring the session to be started at the point of parking and stopped on returning to the vehicle prior to leaving the car park.

The appropriate charge is then taken from the registered payment card.

I have recently been made aware of the RingGo app receiving criticism on local social media, in turn attracting numerous misleading and inaccurate comments.

I would like to clarify the situation and make a suggestion.

One issue cited is the pre-authorisation fee, which allows RingGo to check that you have sufficient funds to pay for the parking session once it is stopped.

Once you commence a ‘start-stop’ parking session, RingGo will request your bank reserve the maximum daily charge for your chosen car park.

If you have mobile banking, you may see this reserved amount pop up, or shown as pending in your banking app.

When you have stopped your parking session, RingGo will tell your bank or card issuer the actual cost of your parking session and they will deduct only that amount.

RingGo have no control over the speed at which your bank or card issuer releases the surplus pre-authorised amount.

RingGo will only ever charge the amount you have used.

The other issue reported is where drivers have started a parking session, forgetting to stop the session before leaving the car park, resulting in the maximum daily charge being incurred.

I have to confess my wife and I have both made this error!

So how can we stop these two issues from occurring?

Quite simply by changing from ‘Start – Stop’ parking to the alternative method of ‘Buy Time’ which, in effect, is the same principle as ‘Pay & Display’.

At the point of parking you enter the RingGo App, choose the length of time you wish to purchase and that amount is charged against your payment card. There is no pre-authorisation fee.

The app will notify you as the session paid for is nearing the end, giving you the opportunity to buy additional time if required.

The main risk to be aware of with ‘Pay & Display’ and ‘Buy Time’ is the possibility of receiving a fixed penalty notice if you overstay the period paid for.

If residents using the RingGo App would like RBWM car parks to convert from the ‘Start Stop’ method to the ‘Buy Time’ method I will make this happen.

Naturally we will need to consult on this change and I hope the local press will assist in canvassing the RBWM RingGo

using residents.

Please remember if you can’t or do not wish to use the RingGo App the pay and display ticket machines are still available at all council car parks.

Hopefully this has clarified the situation. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about changing to ‘Buy Time’.

Cllr PHIL HASELER Cabinet Member for planning, parking,

highways and transport