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Three months after initial launch of RingGo cashless parking in Milton Keynes, the service is being extended and a RingGo virtual permit introduced. From 6 February, motorists will be able to pay by phone with RingGo wherever they park in Milton Keynes. "Pay as you park" business employee permits, which offer a 50 per cent discount for workers in the town centre, are also being introduced. The move follows three successful months of RingGo operations in the centre of Milton Keynes. Cashless parking was initially launched for premium-rate bays and long-stay parking only. With the first 3 months of RingGo-generated parking revenues exceeding the previous cashless service by 47 per cent year on year, and usage growing all the time, RingGo is being extended into standard rate parking too. All charged for Council parking across Milton Keynes will now offer RingGo as an alternative to coins. The Council's solution for town centre workers is also being enhanced. Employees that park in the centre of Milton Keynes currently receive a 50 per cent discount if they apply and pay for parking in advance. The new RingGo business employee permit provides an alternative solution to scratchcards, enabling workers to enter their details on-line, and once authorised, pay for parking on a daily, up to weekly, basis. Applications for these permits are carried out and authorised securely through the Council website. Once approved, employees simply purchase parking by calling the RingGo business permit number or go online to myRingGo to pay. As for standard RingGo sessions, payments and enforcement are based on the mobile phone and the vehicle registration being used. The new service streamlines and speeds up procedures for both employees and the Council. Applications, authorisation and service set up are completed on-line, thereby avoiding costs and physical distribution of forms, scratchcards and permits. Sara Bailey, Parking Strategy and Implementation Manager for Milton Keynes comments: "Providing services digitally, on-line and through phones, offers substantial benefits, not just for the Council, but also the community. With so many people happy to operate on-line, it's easy to see how services such as RingGo parking and on-line employee permits can increase efficiency and reduce costs. "As a Council, we save time and money in the physical production and distribution of scratchcards. Motorists benefit from being able to pay for their parking how and when they like. There's no longer a need to store up coins, visit the parking shop, or order scratchcards in advance. It's a win:win situation for everyone", Bailey concludes. Joanna Miller, CEO for Cobalt Telephone Technologies agrees. "The time for digital payments is upon us. For years people have talked about a paperless, cashless society, but with so much history and dependence on physical processes, like authorisation, distribution and payments, it's taken a while to get here. "For parking operators willing to embrace new ways of working, the potential benefits are immense. As a technical company, with a focus on developing secure, tailored, digital solutions for our customers, it's a great time to be involved in this industry", Miller concludes. |
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