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Motorists in Devon can now pay for their on-street parking across more of the county using a mobile phone and a credit card. Devon County Council's on-street pay and display meters in Exeter, Exmouth, Seaton and Sidmouth are offering the pay-by-phone RingGo service from this week. Drivers can still pay using coins as before, but the new service makes it easier for people to park without worrying about having change to pay for their stay. First time users can register by mobile phone when they want to park, by calling the standard rate number displayed on the machines, or in advance, by visiting www.myRingGo.co.uk. Vehicle and payment details are required for initial registration. Once registered, drivers can use either the same telephone number, mobile internet, or special RingGo iPhone and Android applications, to pay for their parking. The service asks for details of the individual's location (a 4-digit code on the pay and display machines), the time they want to stay, and the 3-digit security code from the reverse of the debit or credit card. Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: "This system makes it much more flexible and convenient for motorists. While people will still be able to use coins in the machines, they won't have the worry of scrabbling around to see if they have enough money with them. This new system provides a quick and easy option of paying by card which will hopefully encourage people to make more of their visit to our town and city centres." Pay and display machines in Barnstaple, Bideford, Combe Martin, Dawlish, Ilfracombe, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Woolacombe are already linked to the system. The latest extension of the scheme means that around 85% of on-street pay and display machines in the county now offer the RingGo service. No parking tickets need to be displayed as Civil Enforcement Officers check which vehicles have paid by accessing the RingGo database via internet connected handsets. Using the service costs a flat rate of 20 pence in addition to the normal parking fee. The system also offers optional text alerts, which cost 10 pence each, confirming your parking session details and highlighting when your ticket is due to run out. |
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