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Drivers using Luton Borough Council car parks are now able to pay using just their mobile phone and a debit or credit card. RingGo cashless parking is rolling out today (27 November) alongside existing pay and display machines in the Council's long and short stay car parks, offering users an alternative way to pay. The innovative service means motorists no longer have to hoard their change for parking or fumble with coins in the rain and cold. Instead, they simply park and pay from the comfort of their vehicle. No ticket is required, as car parking attendants are able to check vehicle registrations against payments made, using internet connected handsets. Luton car parks where the service is being introduced are: Beech Hill, Birch Link, Brunswick Street car park and overflow, Burr Street, Bute Street (shoppers), Chapel Viaduct (Sat-Sun only), Crawley Road, Hitchin Road, Mostyn Road, Power Court, Round Green, Silver Street, South Road, Taylor Street, Vicarage Street and Wenlock Street. Cllr Don Worlding, Executive Member with responsibility for parking, said: "These days, more and more purchases are made with plastic, so keeping enough change for parking is not always convenient. We want to make things easier for people parking in our car parks, so offering an alternative to coins is definitely the way forward." The scheme is being introduced in Luton by Parking Services, in partnership with the Luton Excellence programme which aims to improve the quality and efficiency of Council services. After parking, drivers simply dial the local rate number 01582 802802, which is shown on the signs and payment machines around the car parks. Drivers will need to provide the location code, also shown on signs, their car registration number and the length of time they want to park. Payment will then be taken from the driver's debit/credit card. First-time users will need to give full details of the payment card they use, but, the next time they use the service, they will only need to provide the last four digits, as the state-of-the-art technology is able to identify the mobile phone that is being used. Using the service costs a flat rate of 20p in addition to a car park's normal parking fees. No parking tickets are issued, as parking attendants can accurately check which vehicles have paid using the RingGo system through special mobile phones which link directly to RingGo's central data system. Drivers can also extend their stay by mobile phone without having to go back to the car park and feed the cash machine, and without running the risk of getting a Penalty Charge Notice. RingGo is offered widely across the country, so many motorists are likely to be familiar with the service. |
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