Cashless parking by mobile phone to be trialled in town

Jeni Harvey

MOTORISTS in Rotherham will soon be able to pay for on-street parking with their mobile phones.

So-called “cashless” pay and display machines have already been introduced in Sheffield and now Rotherham Council is set to run a trial in the town centre.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The system involves drivers using their mobile phones to call a local rate number and submit their card details, in order to pay for their parking if they haven’t got any change for the machines.

People would only have to register their card once and would not have to overpay for their parking if they did not have the correct coins – which is currently the case, as parking meters in Rotherham do not give change.

However, there would be a “convenience fee” of between 10p and 20p added to the cost of parking, which would go to the company running the service.

The scheme is set to be discussed at a Rotherham Council town centres committee meeting on Friday, October 1.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At that meeting, parking services manager Martin Beard will present a report saying that the scheme could save money.

His report says: “The one-off cost for installation of the system including signs, publicity, system administrator training and civil enforcement officer training is 3,200. This would be funded from an existing revenue budget.

“However, there are significant projected full-year savings associated with the scheme if the cashless system is introduced in all town centre parking places.”

The trial period is set to take place at car parks in Drummond Street, Eastwood Lane, Moorgate Street, Fitzwilliam Road, Sheffield Road, Maltkiln Street, Percy Street, Wellgate, Masbrough Street and at the Rotherham Civic.

Once the trial period has ended, a further report will go before Rotherham Council in March.