Half of parking ticket machines to be replaced

Rugby Borough Council will absorb for at least a year the 20p fee incurred by RingGo parking app users

A Warwickshire council is to replace a raft of its pay-and-display parking machines and also cover the cost of a convenience charge incurred when motorists pay via an alternative app system.

The move, backed by Rugby Borough Council, is designed to make it easier for people to park in the area, particularly in the town centre.

The authority has 27 machines in total but says the coin-only provision is becoming unreliable, and, to improve payment options, intends to replace half of them with card-only devices.

At the 10 council-operated car parks in the town centre, there will be a coin and card-operated machine.

Absorbing the 20p service fee linked to the RingGo app would be practice for at least a year, the authority added.

Councillor Claire Edwards said the move would ensure more choice, with all drivers paying the same fee whatever the chosen system.

During the last financial year, RingGo payments generated 44% of the authority's parking income.

The machines are set to be installed in the autumn, along with new signage.

Councillors have in addition voted for greater flexibility to extend car park opening hours, also agreeing to offer occasional discounted or free parking.

The project requires an £88,000 investment to be funded from borrowing, with the cost of running the service predicted to increase by £7,000.

In 2022, motorists using RingGo in Worcester found themselves out of pocket when a system glitch drained their bank accounts by charging them multiple times for a single parking transaction, sometimes weeks after the event.