Westminster Council have announced the launch of London’s first multi-app parking scheme offering greater choice for drivers. The platform will benefit residents as operating costs shift to consumers, saving taxpayers £1.2million a year and unlocking new funds to improve local transport links.
There will be also be more competition as drivers can choose between apps, due to a new contract that puts users first and saves residents money.
From today motorists in Westminster can choose between three apps when paying to park: the council’s existing provider RingGo, and now JustPark and PayByPhone.
Westminster is the first local authority in London to launch a multi-operator system for paying to park. This means motorists can pick the app they prefer, creating real competition between providers to offer the smoothest service and best prices, and maximizing the proportion of parking revenue that goes to improving local transport infrastructure like more accessible pavements, safe cycling infrastructure, and bus lanes.
Under the previous scheme, Westminster residents contributed more than £1.2 million a year through Council Tax to cover parking transaction costs. This is despite the fact only 4% of parking transactions come from local drivers. That cost will now shift to visitors who use the service, making the system fairer and freeing up vital funds to improve transport across the city.
Under the new deal, operator fees will be lower, ensuring that the maximum share of parking charges goes back into improving transport in Westminster. This will mean improved transport links, safer streets for walking and cycling, and cleaner air for everyone.
Councillor Max Sullivan, Cabinet Member for Streets, said:
“We’re proud to launch this new parking scheme which offers more choice for drivers and a better deal for residents. By introducing competition between providers, we’re keeping costs down and ensuring that more of the money raised from parking goes straight back into improving transport.
“That means cleaner, safer streets, better public transport, and more investment in making Westminster a healthier, greener place to live.”
Jonathan Hampson, Chief Commercial Officer at JustPark, said:
“We’re proud to be working with Westminster to give drivers more choice when it comes to parking. By coupling our Park & Pay solution with our Reservations offering, JustPark will ensure drivers in Westminster get the flexibility they need — whether it’s for a quick stop or a longer stay.”
Rebecca Maisey, UK Commercial Director for PayByPhone, commented:
“We are thrilled to launch PayByPhone in the City of Westminster. In line with PayByPhone’s ethos, we’re helping to simplify the parking experience for residents of and visitors to Westminster with our robust features and numerous benefits available in our app.”
Christopher Head, Regional Director for the UK & Ireland at Arrive, added:
“With multiple London boroughs due to adopt the National Parking Platform in the coming months, it is great to see the City of Westminster offering users a broader range of options for mobile parking payments. Using a mobile phone to pay for parking is second nature to more than 22 million motorists already registered with RingGo, and we look forward to continuing to offer our service in the borough. We are committed to supporting efforts that make central London more liveable and improve the parking experience for the millions of drivers on the borough’s roads.”
(Pic: Yay Images)
