Coin-operated onstreet parking machines are being decommissioned in favour of smartphone apps

output: A council is returning to contactless payment machines after switching them off and introducing a smartphone app for parking, which some motorists complained about.

Last month, two-thirds of coin-operated on-street parking machines in Guildford town centre were decommissioned, with notices taped to them advising motorists to pay using the RingGo app.

The move by Surrey County Council follows the installation of new contactless payment machines in the town centre last year, after which the older machines were left largely unused.

The council said the decision was due to ageing machines and the rising cost of maintenance.

“It costs more to collect cash and maintain many of the machines than they generate in income,” a spokesperson said.

“Motorists who would like to pay with coins are able to park in alternative locations and we advise checking the machine for payment methods.”

However, some motorists said they had trouble using the app due to poor phone connection.

One driver, who did not wish to be named, said: “My phone can’t establish a connection [to the RingGo app]. I’m already late for an appointment and don’t have time to waste trying to buy a ticket. I expect I shall be fined.”

She added that she did not have time to look for another parking space in a location where contactless payment was still available.

Later at the same machine, an elderly couple said they were unhappy about the change and would prefer to use coins or contactless payment.

“We don’t like downloading and using apps and would much rather use coins or contactless payment,” they said.

“At least we have a smartphone. Many of our friends don’t. We will have to find another parking space.”

The motorists responded to reports that some people were unhappy with the move by council officials to switch off contactless payment machines and introduce the RingGo app.

Some drivers complained that the apps were expensive and unreliable, while others said they did not want to use technology to pay for parking.

The company that manages the app said it was committed to providing a convenient and efficient service to motorists.

A spokesperson for RingGo said: “We are constantly looking for ways to improve our service and respond to feedback from drivers.

“We are also working with the Department for Transport to develop the National Parking Platform, which will bring together different app providers and make it easier for drivers to pay for parking.”

The company is one of many app-based parking firms that also include JustPark and PayByPhone.

In a bid to streamline cashless parking, the DfT recently brought together five apps - PayByPhone, RingGo, JustPark, Elmo and ParkMob - into one system, called the National Parking Platform.

Still in a pilot phase, it is rendering contactless transactions possible in 473 locations across the UK, and currently handles almost 500,000 parking transactions per month.

Earlier this year, the initiative was praised by the British Parking Association, which said it was a "positive step" that would "make a real difference to drivers".

But in 2023, RingGo alone generated a record £30 million in parking fees, realised through the fees it charges councils for managing payments.

The company’s success comes despite complaints from AA members about the high costs and technical difficulties of using parking apps.

The breakdown, part of the AA’s annual StreetWise survey of 27,000 members, also revealed that 72% of motorists prefer to pay for parking using contactless.

Only 20% favoured using an app, while 9% liked to pay by cash and 7% favoured a combination of methods.

The AA also found that 53% of its members had encountered an app connection issue, with 38% having problems topping up their app account.

In addition, 32% had experienced an app displaying an incorrect parking charge or an inability to select the correct parking zone.

The findings come as councils are increasingly switching to app-based payments for on-street parking.

Earlier this year, a council in Devon sparked complaints after it began dismantling coin-operated machines and advising motorists to use contactless methods of payment.

Announcing the move, Devon County Council said: “Due to the ongoing maintenance and testing required for these machines, and the availability of alternative contactless payment methods, we have taken the difficult decision to remove some of the older coin-operated on-street parking machines from service.”

However, some local residents said they did not have contactless bank cards or smartphones, and would prefer to be able to pay with coins.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I’m a widow and I live on a small pension. I don’t have a contactless bank card or a smartphone.

“I’m used to being able to pay for parking with coins, but now I will have to go to the bank and get a contactless card.”