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| The London Borough of Kingston upon Thames is undergoing a £310k programme to improve its parking facilities and is making RingGo a key part of the process. From 12 May, selected on- and off-street parking in Kingston, Surbiton and New Malden will offer phone payments as an alternative to cash. From 23 May, the service is being used as a measure to safeguard payments within Kingston's Pay on Foot car parks, while barrier and payment equipment is upgraded. The Pay on Foot replacement in particular, provides challenges outside the norm for phone parking implementations. Phone payments are routinely introduced as an alternative to pay and display, with motorists choosing whether to use phone or cash to pay for a set time. In this situation, however, a complete change of mindset and behaviour is required, as motorists have to pay in advance, rather than in arrears as they do using Pay on Foot. The primary objective during the physical removal of the barrier and payment equipment therefore has been to safeguard revenues, by ensuring regular users continue to pay for their parking, and make payment as soon as they park. A comprehensive marketing programme has been developed, using multiple communication routes to inform members of the public. Anne Snelson, Marketing Manager for RingGo says "With this sort of step-change programme, you have to get inside the heads of motorists. Sadly, some people perceive broken equipment or a removed barrier as a license to avoid paying their parking fee. Our key aim has therefore been to highlight that payments are still required and that they need to be made before you leave the car park. "Working closely with the Council we've developed a range of communications so that regular users of these car parks know about the change in advance, and can see quickly and easily how to make payment. Our aim is to minimise potential disruption and reduce levels of confusion that are otherwise likely to occur." Phil Burns, Interim Group Transitional Manager (Parking) for Kingston agrees "This upgrade to our parking facilities is a major programme aimed at improving our car parks for our customers and the changeover could have significant impact on the vitality and effectiveness of local businesses, as well as our key commercial Shopping area. Ensuring that the transition is as smooth as possible is therefore our priority and we are working hard to ensure that local businesses, employers and users of the car park are aware of the changes, both in advance and at the time of the transfer. The team at RingGo has done a fantastic job in implementing their system in a very short lead in time and we are very grateful for the support that they have given us." As well, as becoming the 10th London Borough to offer RingGo parking, this roll out provides Kingston with the dual honour of becoming RingGo's 60th local authority customer. |
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