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Why parking machines have been made cashless in Reading | Reading Chronicle

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Cashless Parking in Reading

Reading Borough Council has transitioned its parking machines to a cashless system, accepting only RingGo payments via app or phone. This change, implemented on March 1st, is part of broader parking reforms aimed at reducing costs and promoting sustainable transport.

Cost Savings and Efficiency

The council cited significant cost savings as the primary reason for the switch. Collecting cash from the 168 existing machines cost approximately £44,000 annually. The new cashless system is projected to save £15,000 annually through reduced collection and maintenance fees, decreasing maintenance costs by £44,000 a year. The number of pay and display machines will also decrease from 168 to approximately 75.

Emissions-Based Parking Charges

The reforms also include the introduction of emissions-based parking charges. These charges, which are based on a vehicle's emission rating, aim to incentivize the use of low-emission vehicles and reduce air pollution. A six-week consultation on these charges concluded on March 30, with a final decision expected on June 11.

Council Justification

Councillor John Ennis highlighted that air pollution remains a concern in Reading, and that the changes are part of a broader strategy to encourage sustainable transport. These emission based charges apply to all council car parks and on street parking. The council is investing in public transport and active travel initiatives as part of this strategy.

Machines across the town have been bagged up with posters stating that they are only taking RingGo payments.

RingGo is a payment company that allows cashless payments either through its app or by calling up and quoting a location code, which are attached by laminated paper notices.

The machines are no longer accepting coins and cash, as Reading Borough Council is in the process of making reforms to parking in the town.

The reforms involve emissions-based parking tariffs and reducing the number of pay and display machines from 168 to approximately 75.

The switch to cashless payment only and the reduction of machines has been justified as the existing system has a total cost of £44,000 per year.

This is because it costs the council £10.67 per collection from each machine.

That amounts to a cost of £1,600 per month, which would be reduced to £350 per month under the cashless system, saving £15,000 per year.

Maintenance of the existing machines is yet more expensive as the annual cost of maintaining each machine is £266.66, adding up to a total cost of around £44,000, excluding repairs not covered under the agreement caused by vandalism.

A report by Phil Grant, the council’s parking services manager, states that the changes will save the council £35,000 per year.

The changes were approved at a council policy committee meeting on January 20.

The transfer to cashless-only payments began on March 1, with the machines being bagged up and accepting RingGo payments only since then.

A notice of the changes to pay and display machines in Reading. (Image: Kerry Kingston)

A six-week statutory consultation was undertaken on the introduction of emissions-based parking charges.

The fare drivers pay would be scaled based on the emissions rating of their car.

Justifying the change, John Ennis (Labour, Southcote), lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “Air pollution is still a problem in parts of Reading and it is only right that the council takes action to improve the situation for the health and wellbeing of its residents.

“Transport accounts for around 30 per of all carbon emissions nationally and emission-based parking charges is just one way the council is seeking to encourage the use of low or no emission vehicles, public transport, cycling and walking.

“The council is putting major investment into public transport and active travel schemes and believes higher parking charges for more polluting vehicles is another incentive for people to consider more sustainable ways of travelling."

These charges apply to parking in all council car parks and on-street parking bays, and also to long-term parking permits.

The consultation received 272 responses before it closed on March 30.

The results are currently being analysed for a final decision that is due to be made by the council's traffic management subcommittee on June 11.