Praise for cashless parking scheme

People who have used the new Parkmobile service - the first in the country to allow motorists to pay for parking spaces over their mobile phones - describe it as "fantastic" and say they can't wait to tell their friends about it.

Instead of feeding coins into a pay and display machine, motorists can make two very short phone calls on their mobile - one when they arrive at the parking space and the other when they depart.

They no longer need to carry the right coins for the machine - and once parked they can never run out of cash.

They can even sign up to receive a text message reminder telling them when their parking time is about to expire.

Praise for the scheme came from members of the public who completed a special online feedback form. The comments included:

“I am very grateful for your courtesy and efficiency. May I say that I find the service provided by Parkmobile very useful and practical, I shall recommend it to all my friends in Putney.”

"Quick, efficient and much easier. I'm an estate agent and this system makes my work easier.”

“Reduces risk of tickets, saves time, saves over-paying, reduces need to hoard change. I am now frustrated when I have to park in a non-Parkmobile area!”

“ I’ve used the system 20 times now and think it's fantastic and so much easier. Even if I forget to deactivate it's far better than risking a ticket. I have been telling all my friends just how good it is.”

“I stop for short times for school runs and the time taken to buy a ticket/find a meter was sometimes longer than the parking! No problem now though.”

The key to the scheme is a Parkmobile transponder card, which the driver places inside the windscreen. One short phone call activates the card and another terminates the parking session. Parking attendants are able to check electronically whether a payment has been made.

Cabinet member for regeneration and transport Cllr Guy Senior said: "It is always gratifying to get a positive response from the public after you've introduced a brand new service.

"This scheme is proving a real boon for regular visitors to Putney. Not only does it mean you don't need to carry the right change for the machine, but you only actually pay for the exact amount of time you need to.

"You don’t need to hunt around for a pay and display machine because you can activate your parking session from the safety and comfort of your car.

"And because you can get a text message reminder when your time is nearly up, there's no reason to get a parking ticket in Putney ever again."

Parkmobile was launched in Putney in February and could in time be extended to other parts of the borough. The company behind the system is also planning to launch similar schemes in other parts of London later in the year.

Motorists who do not subscribe to the service can continue to use existing pay and display machines if they wish.

Drivers can register online for a Parkmobile card at www.parkmobile.com The company charges a fee of L1 a month for the card.

The card automatically includes the 20p per hour discount currently received by people who use their Wandsworth residents' parking discount card.