Gosport: Card and cash payments return to council car parks

A council is restoring ticket machines to car parks after some drivers refused to use an app for payments.

Gosport Borough Council in Hampshire began to remove the machines in May to save money.

However, it said: "Drivers have not taken to the system as much as the council had hoped."

It said it would buy new machines and restore old ones, allowing cash or card payment options to return to 12 car parks by March.

Previously, Gosport Older People's Forum said people were "very frustrated" with the MiPermit app.

Edith Kinghorn, from the group, 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."

The Liberal Democrat-controlled council previously said it hoped to save £30,000 on day-to-day running of the machines and another £30,000 on essential upgrades.

Council leader Peter Chegwyn said: "Although the proportion of payments by MiPermit has increased... cards still seem to be the most popular method of payment and there's still a significant number of people who prefer cash.

"Local drivers have shown what they prefer and we're happy to listen to that message and change our policy."

Cash, still accounting for a quarter of car park income, had been overtaken by MiPermit, the council said.

Drivers can also pay by text, QR code, automated phone line or on a website.

A 10p service charge is added to MiPermit transactions.

In June, BBC research found more than 20 councils across England were 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.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].