Parking machines switched off for upgrade

The machines will be out of action for up to an hour at a time

Pay and display machines in Herefordshire's council-run car parks are being temporarily deactivated to allow upgrades so people can continue to use cash and cards at the sites.

The machines currently rely on 3G for transactions - the wireless network previously used by mobile phones.

But 3G has been superseded by 4G and 5G, and the network is due to become largely obsolete early next year.

The pay machines have to be switched off while updates are carried out so customers are not compromised, with Herefordshire Council saying disruption will be minimised.

Each machine will be unavailable for a period of time ranging from a few minutes to an hour, the council says.

In car parks with only one machine, the work will be carried out at quiet times.

The work is already under way and is due to be completed next week.

Councillor Barry Durkin, cabinet member for roads and regulatory services, said: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but these works will make sure that we are fully prepared for the nationwide switch-off of 3G in 2025, and that parking in the county remains efficient, safe and reliable."

Mr Durkin added that the RingGo app, which can be downloaded to most smartphones and used to pay for parking remotely, will still work even when machines are switched off.