Gosport drivers frustrated by end of pay-and-display machines

The phasing out of pay and display parking machines in a Hampshire town is "frustrating" drivers, a support group for the elderly has said.

Gosport Borough Council is among the first to remove machines that rely on the 3G mobile network, which is being switched off in the next year.

Edith Kinghorn from Gosport Older People's Forum said people were being "forced" into using smartphone apps.

The council insists the move will save £30,000 each year.

Removal of the machines follows mobile operators switching off the 3G networks used to process card payments on older machines.

All but nine of the borough's 37 machines are being removed in the coming months, with drivers asked to use the MiPermit app. They can also pay by text, QR code, automated phone line or on a website.

A 10p service charge is added to MiPermit transactions.

Edith Kinghorn from Gosport Older People's Forum said people were becoming "very frustrated" with the new system.

She said: "People don't like putting card details into their phones, they don't like being forced into doing this kind of thing.

"Many of them have the original type of mobile phone which only makes phone calls and that's what they're happy with."

Age UK has previously warned that the 2.4 million people aged 65 and over in the UK, who still rely on cash, risk being marginalised by such moves.

The council maintains revenue from car parks has not been affected.

Peter Chegwyn, leader of the Liberal Democrat-controlled local authority, said not having machines to maintain and collect money from would save tens of thousands of pounds.

He said: "Every single penny counts these days, so the fact it would cost 30k to renew the machines and 30k a year to maintain them, that's 60k better spent on maintaining public services."

BBC research found more than 20 councils across England are removing pay and display parking machines and asking people to pay using an app instead.

In April, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove wrote to councils in England telling them they must ensure parking services remain accessible to all.

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