LA Parking Payment by Text

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

A local LA to me (in London) has started to accept payment for parking by text. The motorist has the option of buying a ticket and displaying it in the conventional way or sending their reg no by text. In the latter case I understand the PAs use their machines to check if payment by text has been made in the cases of "no ticket displayed".

Anyone any experience of this?

I can see issues, not least of which is that texts are not instantaneous but what about the contravention of "failing to display". Could they have stuffed themselves on this as if everyone paid by text there would be nothing on display so failure to display cannot be a contravention!

These are the people that run the scheme.

Just a thought.

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by Bernie_the_Bolt

A local LA to me (in London) has started to accept payment for parking by text. The motorist has the option of buying a ticket and displaying it in the conventional way or sending their reg no by text. In the latter case I understand the PAs use their machines to check if payment by text has been made in the cases of "no ticket displayed".

Anyone any experience of this?

I can see issues, not least of which is that texts are not instantaneous but what about the contravention of "failing to display". Could they have stuffed themselves on this as if everyone paid by text there would be nothing on display so failure to display cannot be a contravention!

These are the people that run the scheme.

Just a thought.

Westminster are going cash free by the end of the year as they kept getting machines robbed and lost millions or so it said on the news. Some people have been given tickets despite paying and lost appeals despite having record of text message sent on bill.
Personally I think its a stupid idea as you have to text your credit card details for a start and not everyone has a mobile. Theres always the chance you will text the wrong VRM to just seems a stupid idea all round but they are investing heavily in it.
Credit card payment on street would make more sense or some kind of card like an Oyster card with parking credit stored on it.

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Originally Posted by green_and_mean

Some people have been given tickets despite paying and lost appeals despite having record of text message sent on bill.

Lost at LA level or has the adjudicator ruled?

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by green_and_mean

Personally I think its a stupid idea as you have to text your credit card details for a start and not everyone has a mobile.
Credit card payment on street would make more sense or some kind of card like an Oyster card with parking credit stored on it.

Not everybody has a credit card - and even more would not want to let any local authority anywhere near it. I won't even use direct debit with my LA to pay the council tax.

I like the oyster card idea - you still get a ticket to display. But what about out of towners. There was an idea of using a mobile and it was billed tot he mobile phone bill - don't know where that went?

So what Westminster are effectively saying is that if you don't have a mobile and a credit card, you can't park in the borough.

I am not sure that Westminster are going cashless because machines are getting robbed. the real reason is much more likely to save money by not having to purchase, service and empty the machines

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

I think the relative merits and inclusion issues are fairly plain.

Really what I'm interested in is whether a LA can enforce a "failure to display" contravention when they operate a system for payment that gives you nothing to display. (ie When they are operating both systems in parallel.)

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by Bernie_the_Bolt

I think the relative merits and inclusion issues are fairly plain.

Really what I'm interested in is whether a LA can enforce a "failure to display" contravention when they operate a system for payment that gives you nothing to display. (ie When they are operating both systems in parallel.)

There is a new contravention code 11 'failure to make payment' which is used in these bays.

[Chesterexpress]

This experiment also involves parking meters, and they don't give a ticket to display.

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Originally Posted by green_and_mean

There is a new contravention code 11 'failure to make payment' which is used in these bays.

So the economically advantaged (afford a mobile phone, have a credit card, be prepared to pay the premium) only have to pay while the rest of us not only have to pay but also display.
Which b'stard dreamt that one up!

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by Bernie_the_Bolt

So the economically advantaged (afford a mobile phone, have a credit card, be prepared to pay the premium) only have to pay while the rest of us not only have to pay but also display.
Which b'stard dreamt that one up!

I'm sure there are far more ways to cock up the text method than the P&D method so more likely to get a PCN. Wrong VRM, wrong location, failed to confirm payment etc etc. At least with the old fashioned method you have proof of payment in your hand with the expiry time printed on it, all you have to do is make sure its on display (and get back on time).