New data reveals that more drivers now opt to pay for parking through the AppyParking app rather than cash in the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire.
This transformation in parking behaviour is a result of the town’s smart parking initiative, which began in 2019 with the installation of city-wide parking sensors and the introduction of the AppyParking app.
Data for November shows that AppyParking handled 25.5% of all parking transactions in Harrogate, surpassing cash payments which accounted for 23.3%. The digital adoption rate is even more pronounced for on-street parking, where nearly one-third of all drivers now choose to pay through the app.
The success stems from the comprehensive smart parking system implemented in 2019, which combines real-time parking space sensors with seamless mobile payments. The app enables drivers to plan their journey in advance, and smoothly park and pay. Drivers can easily view parking availability across the city and pay for their parking session through their smartphones, eliminating the need to search for cash or queue at parking machines.
Dan Hubert, CEO of AppyWay, commented on the milestone: “The shift we’re seeing in Harrogate represents a fundamental change in how people approach urban parking. When we launched our smart parking solution in 2019, we envisioned a future where finding and paying for parking would be completely friction-free. Today’s numbers show that residents have not only embraced this vision but are actively choosing digital solutions over traditional payment methods.”
Steve Brown, Head of Parking Services at North Yorkshire Council, added: “The growing preference for digital parking payments in Harrogate demonstrates our community’s readiness to embrace smart city solutions. The combination of real-time parking availability data and convenient payment options has transformed how our residents and visitors experience parking in the town. This shift not only improves the parking experience but also helps us manage our parking infrastructure more efficiently.”
AppyWay says the trend highlights a broader movement towards digital solutions in urban mobility, with Harrogate leading the way in demonstrating how smart parking technology can successfully transform traditional parking systems. The continued growth in app usage suggests that digital parking solutions are becoming the new norm, setting a precedent for other towns and cities looking to modernise their parking infrastructure.
(Picture – AppyWay)
