Drivers ditching pay-by-phone parking spaces as cash remains king

Motorists are steering clear of pay-by-phone parking bays as cash remains the more popular method of payment, the AA says.

The motoring organisation’s survey of 16,239 members found that 70 per cent of respondents would look to park somewhere else if faced with a parking spot that required a phone payment.

Administration fees and voice-controlled phone payment systems were cited by the AA as being the main factors that put people off.

Close to 80 per cent of pensioners who took part in the survey also said they would avoid pay-by-phone parking bays, while the same proportion of motorists on low incomes said the same thing.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “Not only can it be a struggle to find a space but now, when you do find one, you may be required to talk to an automated system to pay the charge – not ideal if you have an appointment or just want to get in and get out quickly.

“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.”

According to the AA’s survey, although drivers preferred cash payments, many were irritated by the fact that some parking machines wouldn’t accept the new 12-sided £1 coins, and that others wouldn’t issue change.

Earlier this year, the British Parking Association (BPA) conducted a similar survey of 2,000 motorists, finding that 28 per cent of respondents didn’t trust new technologies available to pay for parking.

A spokesperson said: “Whilst this research shows that most motorists still prefer to use cash when paying for parking, the BPA’s aim is to build public confidence in using newer payment technologies, which can make finding places to park and paying for parking so much easier and more convenient and without the fear of something going wrong.”

However, the Local Government Association hit back at the AA’s claims, pointing out that councils offered a variety of payment methods.

A spokesperson said: “Councils offer a variety of ways to pay for parking, and paying by phone can be a quick and convenient way to do so.

“As the AA’s own research shows, 76 per cent of councils in England have already converted the parking machines they’re responsible for to accept the new £1 coin. Others are well on the way towards doing so. But 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.”