NEWS: Parking Meters RIP?

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 24, 2010, Thursday


PARKING meters in Edinburgh are set to be phased out to make way for a "cashless parking" system letting drivers pay with their mobile phone and credit card.

The city council is currently consulting on the new RingGo system, which will end the practice of buying a ticket to stick on the windscreen.

Instead, traffic wardens will be able to check a car has paid to be in a particular space with a handheld computer. The scheme is currently in operation in private parking bays at the Travelodge in St Mary's Street, as well as several cities throughout the UK.

It could result in the number of cash meters being reduced, meaning people who are unwilling or unable to pay by credit card may have further to walk to buy a ticket.

A council spokesman said: "The scheme uses location identification as a means of knowing what vehicles have paid to park in a street. This requires handheld devices to be able to communicate with a central database using real-time information.

"It allows for users to extend their stay. However, one issue that will need to be addressed is the fact that we have different maximum stay periods for parking bays throughout the city. The cost of an initial payment at a machine will be the same whatever the method of payment."

He said there would be no cost to the council in setting up the scheme as it would be included in the contract with NSL, which currently provides the city's parking attendants.

The attendants will have a handheld device with a readout showing all of the bays in the street, with details of the make, model and number plate of the cars that have paid to park there.

If the traffic warden sees a car which is not on the list, a parking ticket would be issued.

RingGo differs from the current mPark system, which uses the ticket machine to print a pay and display voucher which has to be displayed on the vehicle.

The spokesman said the system would end the trade in "black market tickets", whereby kind-spirited drivers give tickets to other drivers if they still have time left on them.

However, he added that the scheme was less about maximising revenues and more about making parking more convenient. Tim Cowen, director of communications at NSL, said: "I can't remember the last time I used a parking meter in London. It's a really good system, and really convenient.

"It makes it easier for the driver - you don't have to run to the shop to get change. You just phone the hotline, give your details and Bob's your uncle."

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Note down the unique identification number on your parking bay.

* Phone the hotline and give the make, colour and registration number of your car.

* Pay by credit card or have the charge added to your prearranged RingGo account.

* Note down time restrictions on the bay. Drivers can top up remotely provided they do not exceed the time limit.

* Traffic wardens will receive real-time updates of which cars have paid to occupy each space.

* If a car is parked in a space that doesn't appear on the warden's list a ticket will be issued.