Cashless carparks VICTORY! Council poised for U-turn over policy as fears grow elderly being excluded
A car park payment machine closed by another local council of Telford and Wrekin in village of Ironbridge in Shropshire
PA
A district council in a leafy part of England has been forced to reconsider its decision to push ahead with cashless car parks.
Cotswold District Council removed cay payments from car parks in 2022 in an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint.
It also suggested the move would reduce theft and vandalism.
The council subsequently only accepted card, app and phone payments.
A selection of notes and credit cardsPAHowever, Cotswold councillors last week discussed reverting back to accepting cash.
Conservative Councillor Daryl Corps raised the issue during a full council meeting on July 19.
He said: “There are many people who do not have a smartphone or are unsure of how to pay on a website or are frankly scared of using their debit or credit card on a machine in public, or simply don’t use credit cards.
“This is particularly true of the elderly and vulnerable.”
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More than 20 councils go cashless by replacing pay and display parking machines with appsPACorps added: “Surely we have a duty of care for all residents and visitors to the Cotswolds, not just the tech savvy few.”
Corps raised his question to his Liberal Democrat counterpart Tony Dale.
Dale, who serves as Cabinet Member for the Economy and Council Transformation, conceded the cashless move was also a concern for him.
He continued: “I feel strongly that all of us should have access to parking.
Kensington & Chelsea have also already removed all of their machinesPA“It’s not a decision ever taken lightly when we move to cashless parking but it is, I’m sad to say, a reflection of the modern world that we are having to move that way.
“I’m quite comfortable at the moment through all the technology we have.
“We have pay by phone, we have tap to pay. I even went to the trouble to check with car parks.
“I went to eight today to do a personal check that machines are working and clients, consumers, customers and visitors are all using them.
Snowshill, a Cotswold Village in Gloucestershire.
PA
“I actually observed no one who was unable to pay or walked away.
“But I share your concern about is there some way we can help people who feel completely suckered by not being able to pay by app or by tap to pay.
“I gather there are a number of councils who have used this paypoint process which is available at local shops. I’ve asked officers to have a look at that.”
The decision to go cashless sparked outrage among elderly residents, with many complaining about not being able to adapt to the technological change.
It was even suggested the pivot towards contactless payments would damage the local economy.
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