Harborough District Council defends new parking machines after MP claims it is ‘not a user-friendly system’
Harborough District Council has defended new payment machines that were installed across the area’s car parks last month, after MP Neil O’Brien claimed they were ‘not a user-friendly system.’
The machines were installed following feedback from a consultation in July on the council’s car parking strategy.
The council claims the results showed that many residents supported moving to cashless payment options.
Mr O’Brien has written to the council’s chief executive to raise his concerns and said: “There are still a lot of people - myself included - who prefer to pay with coins or cash.
“Many people keep loose change in their car specifically for this purpose.
“But overnight, the council has significantly reduced the number of machines that accept coins and cash.
“That means, for example, that if you are less able and want to pay by cash, you may now have to walk much further between the shop, the car park machine and your car.
“And what happens when these machines break down, as they have a habit of doing?
“Unlike previously, not all machines accept cash anymore.
“Residents have also told me that some machines are installed far too low and are very hard to see in bright sunlight. It’s just not a user-friendly system.”
Mr O’Brien said residents had contacted his office saying they were avoiding car parks, and instead parking in nearby residential streets on the edge of the town centre.
In response, a district council spokesperson said: “We have received positive comments about how the new payment machines are much quicker and far more user friendly.
“Our car parking consultation earlier this year showed a preference for people using card or phone payments and usage reports have shown these methods as an increasing trend over time.
“All of our car parks have the option to pay by both card and cash, which was a deliberate decision by the council to ensure they are accessible to all visitors, and our busier car parks have additional card-only payment machines.
“Each payment machine is marked with a bright yellow cone on top which clearly states cash and card or card only and our civil enforcement officers and supervisors have been on hand at peak times to offer assistance.
“It is essential for the council that all car park users can access the new payment machines and the height of them ensures accessibility for wheelchair users.
“It’s also important to underline that there have been no increase in car parking tariffs and the 30-minute free parking ‘pop and shop bays’ have not been removed or changed.
“As well as being an important step to support shoppers in our town centres, the modernisation and upgrade of the car parking machines are vital as the previous machines were old and would not have worked once 3G services are switched off nationally.”
Mr O’Brien added he was aware of confusion around how users get their parking refund from the Sainsbury’s store in Market Harborough.
“Previously you’d present a paper ticket and get your refund straight away,” the MP said.
“Now you either have to obtain a four-digit code by scanning a QR code with your smartphone, or - confusingly - you can still get a paper ticket, but only from the fewer machines that still accept coins or cash.”
In response to the points raised regarding the Sainsbury’s store, the council told the Harborough Mail: “As part of the installation of the new machines, Sainsbury’s was made fully aware of the changes, of how the new machines operate and how to incorporate those changes into their own systems to ensure they would be well placed to share information with staff and customers.
“Customers will be partially reimbursed at the usual rate if they are shopping at the store by requesting either a physical (cash and card machine) or digital (card machine) receipt, however, a pay and display ticket will no longer be issued.
“It was disappointing to hear that some shoppers have had initial teething troubles using the machines.
“There are many benefits to the new machines including there being no need to walk back to the car to display a ticket.”