For many years, millions of motorists have suffered the frustration of trying to park and finding they need to download or update unfamiliar apps in order to pay.
I am pleased to share that Richard Holden MP and Minister for Roads and Local Transport has shared the government is taking action on this, through the creation of a National Parking Platform, able to connect together parking sites up and down the country with all participating apps.
Cashless parking is a service millions of us value; but juggling a phone full of apps is a chore none of us enjoy.
The way in which the market is organised has forced each local authority or private parking provider into signing exclusive deals that limit them to a single app. That means motorists who wish to park cashlessly in an area have no choice but to use that app.
Since 2021 we have been trialling a new approach. The National Parking Platform (“the platform”) is a hub that links together parking providers with apps and which puts choice back in the hands of motorists. Thanks to the platform, drivers can use whichever app they like, in every participating area.
We are not creating a government-led app. Instead, the platform connects together different parking providers to create a single, competitive market that works for the benefit of ordinary people. People can use the apps they know and value; and innovative providers will find it far easier to enter the market. Future developments, potentially including EV charging points and residents parking, will provide further benefits to drivers across the UK.
The decision on whether to join the platform will be a local one and go-live dates in specific areas will depend in part on when existing contracts lapse.
However, any council can become a member of the platform now, even before their existing pay-by-app contract expires. This way, the platform can put in place the measures needed, so they switch automatically to the new system when the moment comes. We are waiving the usual joining fee until Easter, so coming onto the platform is effectively costless for those that act now.
