The Government is promising drivers across the country will soon be able to benefit from new technology to simplify parking payments.
It’s confirmed the future launch of the National Parking Platform, to be rolled out nationwide so that drivers can use an app of their choice to pay instead of downloading multiple apps.
The NPP is a Department for Transport-led initiative to simplify parking payment. The pilot platform, being operated by Manchester City Council, has four primary functions – these are to provide simplified and improved customer service, a data exchange to enable multi-seller payments, a way of sharing parking information and standardising technical and commercial relations.
Responding, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Paying for parking should be one of the simplest things any driver has to do, yet the reality has been anything but with people forced to download and register a plethora of different mobile apps depending on where they are in the country. The roll-out of the National Parking Platform therefore brings about some much-needed simplification and should make drivers’ lives easier.
“However, we remain concerned about the fact some councils seem intent on removing all physical parking ticket machines in favour of app-only payment – something research tells us a clear majority drivers are resolutely against.”
(Logo – National Parking Platform)
