Pay-by Phone Parking Charges on the Way

1.27.22pm GMT Thu 15th Jan 2004

Several London boroughs (including Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Westminster) are this year experimenting with automatic payment for parking charges by mobile phone so that it will no longer be necessary to find the right cash for parking machines and parkers will no longer be penalised because they have misjudged the time they need away from their cars. Under the new system, to be operated by a Dutch company - Parkmobile, parkers can activate their account simply by dialling a mobile phone number and typing in a code.

Vincent Cable, MP, welcomed the new scheme: "I have dozens of complaints from residents who resent paying what are now very large fines for trivial, technical parking offences. And because the council regards parking fines as a 'nice little earner' there isn't much flexibility. The new pay-by-phone scheme will make it simpler for motorists to pay. Not everyone will be comfortable with the mobile technology but at least there will be the option. I hope our own council will move quickly to adopt it if the pilot in Putney is successful".