The Transport Technology Forum’s Smarter Parking Working Group have announced that the number of local authorities who have signed up to the scheme has passed 200.
The announcement was made at the group’s meeting at the TTF’s Annual Conference in Leicestershire, where delegates were able to try the solution for themselves, signing up for a parking session using the same code – 909 007 – on any of six parking apps, RingGo, Pay By Phone, APCOA Connect, JustPark, Caura and appyparking.
The NPP is a Department for Transport-led initiative to simplify parking payment. The pilot platform enables payments using a range of established parking apps, rather than having to have a specific app for a specific area. The NPP also has benefits for local authorities, including providing data exchange to enable multi-seller payments, a way of sharing parking information and standardising technical and commercial relations.
When Roads and Local Transport Minister Richard Holden wrote to authorities last October, he explained that they could benefit from the NPP by unlocking a wider range of services, getting better data about their areas and automating routine functions – all without the need to procure. “Parking apps get access to a wider market that we expect will grow to cover services beyond parking,” he wrote, also pointing out that: “Users get less frustration, more choice and an open marketplace where apps compete based on the quality of their service.”
TTF Smarter Parking Working Group Chair Sarah Randall said: “The parking sector working in a connected way to show a live demonstration of the National Parking Platform and wayfinding for the delegates shows the technology works and is ready for use by the general public. The overwhelmingly positive response to the concept from so many busy local authorities and parking highway professionals fills me with an expectation the NPP will be a great success.”
While using the NPP is not mandatory, a total of 207 local authorities have now chosen to join, connecting them to all participating apps at once, without the need for complex procurement. The concept is built to be future-proofed, by not being limited to parking, because it could also include EV charging, residents’ parking and kerbside management. It is also hoped to attract tourists by giving them an easier experience.
The TTF Conference is sponsored by Clearview Intelligence, with the Working Group meetings supported by AECOM and the evening drinks reception sponsored by Yunex Traffic. It runs until Thursday 25 April.
(Picture – TTF)
