Major change to car parks could make drivers' lives easier
Twenty years ago, the biggest faff for drivers was finding enough coins to put into the parking meter.
Today, that problem is largely gone, but in its place is another one: having to download a library of different apps to pay on your phone.
Different car parks use different providers, meaning you may have to use Ringo one day and JustPark the next, making things unnecessarily confusing – especially for older people who never wanted the change in the first place.
The government has been trying to make things simpler for some time by letting people use whichever app they prefer, connected behind the scenes to the National Parking Platform.
But after a pilot scheme run in ten local authorities, they pulled taxpayer funding at the end of March, leading to fears that it would never materialise.
Today, they announced that parking apps themselves would now operate and fund the service.
Led by trade body the British Parking Association, they will now offer a 'one size fits all' service in collaboration with local councils.
So if you prefer using PayByPhone, soon you will be able to use it even in car parks you previously had to use a different app for.
As well as freeing up space on your phone, the government said it will avoid 'inconsistent parking rules, clunky user experiences and unnecessary barriers to something that should be simple'.
It is expected to reduce the risk of parking fines, and improve the experience for consumers due to increased competition between apps.
The ten local authorities already using the platform will not see any chance, and can continue using it.
For next steps, the new consortium will onboarding more local authorities 'imminently', the government said.
While they didn't provide a specific time frame, they said this would ensure that easier parking 'is rolled out to more drivers as soon as possible'.
Anthony Eskinazi, founder of JustPark, has been elected as a Director of the Sub-Committee at the British Parking Association, responsible for now rolling out the new platform.
He said: 'The NPP marks a major milestone in the modernisation of parking nationwide.'
'By allowing drivers to choose their preferred parking app, it eliminates unnecessary complexity and makes parking simpler and more convenient. Will this make your life easier? Yes, having to use lots of different apps is annoying
No, it's never really bothered me
'It has other benefits too. Giving drivers freedom of choice fosters a more competitive landscape amongst UK parking providers. It will encourage us to be even more innovative, providing improved features and services for drivers. More Trending
'Ultimately, this will raise standards across the entire industry.
'For local authorities, the advantages are equally clear. With over 600 councils across the UK currently required to regularly run individual procurement processes for parking providers, The NPP now prevents the need for these – reducing inefficiencies, saving time, resources and costs.
View More »
'At a time when public budgets are under pressure, this helps councils focus their resources where they are needed most and ultimately deliver savings for taxpayers.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: A major driving licence change is about to hit 50,000,000 people
MORE: Safety charity wants to cut speed limits to 10mph on thousands of miles of roads
MORE: Car more unpopular than the Lada is about to make a comeback
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
23-05-2025
- Wales Online
Drivers using blue badges warned 'we cannot continue to ignore this issue'
Drivers using blue badges warned 'we cannot continue to ignore this issue' Leading organisations are calling for change after blue badge misuse figures have soared to 'shocking' levels There is said to be a 'shocking' level of blue badge fraud in the UK (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Startling new statistics reveal how rampant the issue of people misusing blue badges on UK roads is, with parking authorities labelling the "level of blue badge misuse and fraud" as "shocking" and stressing that "we cannot continue to ignore this issue". The British Parking Association (BPA) has released figures indicating a staggering increase in blue badge misuse, which has soared by over 1,000% since 2016. The RAC has reported a 400% surge in the theft of blue badges in London between 2014 and 2023. According to the BPA, fraudulent activities include stealing badges and creating and selling fake badges online. People have even been using badges belonging to dead people, reports Birmingham Live. Experts are also noticing a troubling trend of people 'borrowing Grandma's badge' simply to benefit from free and convenient parking. The BPA is calling for local councils to be given greater powers and resources to effectively combat this problem. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Article continues below Alison Tooze, chief engagement and policy officer at the BPA, commented, "The statistics around the level of blue badge misuse and fraud are shocking." "We cannot continue to ignore this issue, especially when the victims are some of the most vulnerable in our society." People are being reminded of the importance of accessible parking for blue badge holders. Tooze continued: "Badge holders rely on accessible parking to carry out their day-to-day activities and for many it is a vital part of living an independent life. "Perpetrators of blue badge misuse and fraud deprive genuine badge holders of this right to freedom, whilst costing ordinary taxpayers millions every year. This must stop." Gabriel Hambleton, from car detailing supplier Gold Label Car Care, stated: "Misuse of a blue badge can have serious consequences. Article continues below "Lending the badge to someone else, using it after it has expired, or failing to return a badge that is no longer needed can lead to its withdrawal and a fine of up to £1,000. "This helps protect the integrity of the scheme and ensures support goes to those who genuinely need it."
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
New parking rules come into force for millions of drivers in England
The new parking rules have come into force, which will allow drivers to pay for their parking on their preferred app, rather than having to download multiple different payment apps All drivers in England can look forward to a major change that's set to make parking a whole lot easier. The Labour Party government has introduced the new National Parking Platform, which promises to end the scourge of unjust parking fines and offers a single app solution for payment. Labour announced plans to implement the National Parking Platform to allow motorists to use their chosen app for parking payments, rather than juggling several apps. Anthony Eskinazi, founder and president of JustPark, is now a director of the National Parking Platform. He said: "By allowing drivers to choose their preferred parking app, it eliminates unnecessary complexity and makes parking simpler and more convenient. It is ultimately about giving drivers genuine choice over their preferred app. "JustPark is proud to have contributed to shaping the platform's vision, and as a company, we will continue to support its roll-out across the country, led by the British Parking Association." Rod Dennis from the RAC welcomed the initiative, saying: "Paying to park a car should be one of the simplest things any driver does, but things have got much more complicated in recent years - a point demonstrated by the fact there are so many different mobile parking apps. "If the arrival of a National Parking Platform removes that hassle, it's definitely a welcome move. But the key will be ensuring as many car park operators as possible sign up to the system." Labour Party Minister of the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said: "This government is on the side of drivers and dedicated to giving everyone simpler, more flexible parking. Delighted at the lack of taxpayer burden, she added: "I'm delighted that this fantastic project is being taken on by the parking sector with no extra cost to taxpayers." Expanding on infrastructure improvements, Birmingham Live reports that Ms Greenwood said: "This is public infrastructure done right: built by government, shaped with councils and now delivered by the sector that knows it best, at a time where we're investing a record £1.6 billion through our Plan for Change, to mend our pothole-ridden roads that damage cars and £4.8 billion to deliver new road infrastructure that will better connect people." BPA Chief Executive Andrew Pester also weighed in with enthusiasm for the initiative, saying: "Today's announcement marks the result of 6 years of dedicated work by our parking sector to make paying for parking easier." In light of their support for the National Parking Platform, he expressed his excitement: "We've strongly supported the National Parking Platform from the start, so we're thrilled with this outcome and excited to collaborate with the Department for Transport and the new NPP company to create a better parking experience for all drivers."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- The Independent
New national parking app being rolled out in change which could benefit millions of drivers
A new rule change could make life much easier for British drivers in their never-ending scramble for parking spaces. Labour has announced a new National Parking Platform (NPP) so drivers can pay for parking on just one app rather than downloading multiple new ones. The move, which sees the British Parking Association take over the platform, aims to provide a more flexible parking experience at no cost to the taxpayer. Apps like Ring Go, JustPark and PayByPhone have joined the scheme, allowing drivers to pay for a parking space using their preferred option. Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said she was 'delighted' the scheme is being rolled out. She said: 'This government is on the side of drivers and dedicated to giving everyone simpler, more flexible parking. 'This is public infrastructure done right: built by government, shaped with councils and now delivered by the sector that knows it best.' The move will allow drivers to swerve inconsistent parking rules, accidental fines, clunky user experiences on apps and open up parking costs to market competition, the government said. After successful trials in ten local councils, the scheme currently handles more than 500,000 transactions per month. And now the scheme will be rolled out to more local authorities to ensure that 'easier, simpler parking' is available for millions more. The RAC welcomed the move but said it would need car park operators all to agree before it makes a tangible difference to motorists. 'Paying to park a car should be one of the simplest things any driver does, but things have got much more complicated in recent years", RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said. 'If the arrival of a National Parking Platform removes that hassle, it's definitely a welcome move. 'But the key will be ensuring as many car park operators as possible sign up to the system.' The move comes as d rivers across England say they are being sent demands for up to £170 from private parking companies because of faulty machines. Many car parks require users to input their vehicle registration when purchasing a ticket from a machine. But there have been numerous cases of drivers who insist they entered their registration correctly but still received a fine. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the issue as 'a problem that needs to be tackled', while the RAC called for a Government-backed code of conduct to be reintroduced.
