BRIGG COULD BE PART OF 'CASHLESS PARKING' TRIAL

Drivers using the municipal car parks in Brigg could be able to pay by using their smart phone.
The council is currently considering whether to introduce so-called cashless parking, on a trial basis for two years.
Currently, drivers can only use cash at the council's 35 ticket machines in pay and display car parks across the district, including those on Brigg's Old Courts Road and the Angel.
Despite the introduction of free car parking concessions like the weekend one which applies in Brigg, the council still has annual gross revenue of approximately £304,000 from all its meters.
One of the market leaders in cashless parking has provided information to the authority on how the cashless system could be tested over a trial period of two years. 
A council report about the proposal says: "Cashless parking would operate alongside the existing cash collection system, but would allow motorists the convenience of paying to park their vehicle using a mobile phone and a bank card, instead of using coins."
Drivers would be required to set up an account with the service provider to register their details (unless they were already registered after visiting other areas of the country). 
Whenever a driver then visited a North Lincolnshire car park, he/she would have a number of options available to pay for the desired length of visit. 
Companies generally allow drivers to pay for their parking using an automated phone service, a smartphone app, a website, by text or via an in-house call centre. 
It is expected that the service provider would design, produce and install necessary signage, train all staff and provide marketing and PR advice, so there would be no initial set up costs for the council. 
The Community Warden team would receive information from the service provider of vehicle registration numbers/paid for time via an app on their council mobile devices. 
"This would allow them to manage parking as usual," stresses the council report. 
Fewer cash transactions through the ticket machines would result in reduced machine maintenance, ticket and electricity costs, along with reductions in staff time spent collecting and processing cash, dependent upon the take up rate. 
"Evidence from those who have already introduced cashless parking suggests the convenience of extending paid parking times, as well as increasing revenue, also results in a greater level of parking compliance," the report adds.
"There would therefore be a financial impact on penalty charge notice income."
Council staff are now recommending that the introduction of cashless parking, as an alternative payment system, should be introduced on a trial basis for two years. 
A decision on whether to proceed with this trail will be taken after August 10 by the Cabinet Member for Governance and Transformation.
He is Coun Richard Hannigan, who represents the Ferry Ward and lives in Kirmington.