Plans to introduce a new parking payment platform have been met with praise after Labour said it would soon roll out the National Parking Platform.
The new "one app fits all" service will allow drivers to pay for their parking on their preferred app, rather than having to download multiple different payment apps.
The collaboration between Labour and the British Parking Association promises to "end the scramble to download multiple apps" and encourage a more flexible parking experience.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said it was a "fantastic project", adding that Labour was committed to being on the side of drivers, as part of the Plan for Change.
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Experts have praised the new National Parking Platform scheme
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Anthony Eskinazi, Founder and President of JustPark, is one of the newly elected directors of the National Parking Platform. Other parking apps, including Ring Go and PayByPhone, are also part of the consortium.
He praised the intervention of the Government to help drivers benefit from a simplified payment process, describing it as a "major milestone in the modernisation of parking nationwide".
Eskinazi said: "By allowing drivers to choose their preferred parking app, it eliminates unnecessary complexity and makes parking simpler and more convenient. It is ultimately about giving drivers genuine choice over their preferred app.
"JustPark is proud to have contributed to shaping the platform's vision, and as a company, we will continue to support its roll-out across the country, led by the British Parking Association."
He highlighted other benefits of the new NPP scheme, noting that it will create a more competitive landscape for car park operators across the country.
If drivers are able to use the app of their choice, other platforms will be forced to slash their prices to battle for the custom of motorists.
The founder of JustPark added that it would raise standards across the entire parking industry and give drivers more control of how they park.
The NPP platform has already been rolled out in 10 local authorities, with more than 500,000 transactions already taking place every month.
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Experts are hoping the changes will promote competition and lower prices for motorists
PAThe consortium in charge of the NPP will onboard more local authorities as soon as possible to make parking easier.
Rod Dennis, senior policy officer at the RAC, also backed the update, although he said similar mechanisms should have been unveiled sooner.
He said: "Paying to park a car should be one of the simplest things any driver does, but things have got much more complicated in recent years - a point demonstrated by the fact there are so many different mobile parking apps.
"If the arrival of a National Parking Platform removes that hassle, it’s definitely a welcome move. But the key will be ensuring as many car park operators as possible sign up to the system."
Drivers can select from a number of different parking apps to pay
BMWHe clarified that while 10 local authorities are already taking part is a good start, but drivers across the country should be able to benefit.
The RAC has called for all councils to provide drivers with at least two payment methods, including a bank card or a mobile phone.
