Several U.K. councils switch to RingGo

Dover - first Kent authority to roll out phone parking

An innovative new system, which allows motorists to pay for parking with their mobile phones using their debit or credit cards, is launched in Dover District Council car parks this week. The scheme - which is the first operated by a Local Authority in Kent - goes live on Thursday (11 June).

Working in partnership with RingGo, the Council will be offering the service in most of its car parks across the district. Once registered with RingGo, motorists will be able to ring a local number (01304 892895) to pay for parking over the phone.

First time users will need to give details of their vehicle, where they are parked, how long they want to park for, and their full card details. The next time you call, RingGo remembers the mobile number and will ask you to confirm your vehicle details and your location, and how long you want to park for, and will ask for your card security code. You can register on-line at www.MyRingGo.co.uk or during your first call. Using the service costs a flat-rate of 20p, (which is not retained by the Council), in addition to the normal parking fee.

Cllr Nigel Collor, Cabinet Member for Access and Property Management, said: "We are very pleased to be launching this new scheme, which is the first of its kind in Kent. The scheme offers visitors and residents a quicker and more convenient way to pay for parking in Council car parks, without having to hunt around for loose change, and allows people to extend their stay with a simple phone call, without going back to the car park."

Torridge Rolling out Ring and Go Parking

Motorists parking in Torridge District Council's car parks will soon have a quicker and more convenient way of paying for parking - by phone, using their credit or debit card.

Working in partnership with RingGo, the council will be offering the service from Monday 22nd June, in all its car parks throughout the District.

Once registered with RingGo, motorists will be able to ring a local telephone number 01237 402 405 to pay for parking, simply by giving the car park reference number, which will be on the pay & display machine, and stating how long they wish to stay for.

And once parked, if motorists are running late for any reason, they can simply extend their parking time by the same method. No ticket is needed and you can even get a text reminder when you are running out of time!

RingGo has proved to be very successful in other areas of the Westcountry, and provides the motorist with a simple, alternative, method of paying for their parking.

Cllr Geoff Lee, Lead Member for Car Parks in Torridge, said: "This initiative is a welcome alternative to our pay and display machines, and will give motorists the choice of how to pay for their parking." You can register by mobile phone when using the service for the first time, or by visiting www.myRingGo.co.uk.

No Cash is No Problem when Parking in Woodbridge

The frustration of having no change to pay for parking or being penalised for running late could be a thing of the past in Suffolk Coastal, with people now able to pay for parking by credit or debit card using their mobile phones.

The RingGo scheme is being piloted in Woodbridge's town centre car parks alongside pay and display, and if it is well received it could be rolled out in other Council car parks in the district.

"RingGo is already being used very successfully by thousands of people across the country, and Suffolk Coastal is keen to pilot the system, which will give our car park users a wider range of payment options and the ability to top up their ticket over the phone if they are running late," said Cllr Andy Smith, Cabinet Member responsible for car parking.

"Any drivers visiting Woodbridge's town centre car parks can now use it, alongside the pay and display system. Over the next three to four months we will be monitoring how many people use the new service and taking into account any feedback we receive in order to decide whether it could be used in other Council car parks," added Cllr Smith.

People can register for the scheme in advance or wait until they are parked. Customers calling 01394 642645 will be asked to provide information about their car and their card details, along with the length of time they want to stay and the four-digit code number of their chosen car park.

After registering, the process will be quicker as the system will recognise registered phone numbers automatically. In addition, once registered, people can use any RingGo car park in the UK.

Customers can also register their details in advance on the RingGo website, at www.myringgo.com/register, where they can manage their account, view their payment history and request VAT receipts online.

"People do not need to worry about the security of their credit card details as those are stored securely on RingGo's secure computer system, and certainly not on users' mobile phones," added Cllr Smith.

Using RingGo costs 20 pence on top of the normal car park charge and any call cost, and if customers opt for a text alert to confirm the parking session has been booked or to warn them if their time is running out, each costs an extra 10 pence. The money will be debited from their credit or debit card and will appear on their statements.

"Our car parks are already excellent value for money, and with this extra service they could be even more convenient for our residents and people visiting the district. I look forward to seeing RingGo in action in Woodbridge, and I would urge car park users to try it on for size and discover the benefits of the service for themselves," added Cllr Smith.

Scarborough Council launches mobile phone payments for parking

From this week, drivers parking in Scarborough Borough Council owned car parks, will have a quicker and more convenient way to pay for parking - by mobile phone, using their debit or credit card. The cashless payment system, 'RingGo', will go live on Tuesday 16 June in council car parks across the borough.

After parking, drivers simply dial the local rate number 01723 812815, which is shown on the signs and payment machines around the car parks. A driver will need to provide the location code, also shown on signs, their car registration number and the length of time they want to park. Payment will then be taken from the driver's debit/credit card. First time users will need to give full details of the payment card they use, but the next time they use the service, they will only need to provide the last four digits, as the state-of-the-art technology is able to identify the mobile phone that is being used.

Using the service costs a flat rate of 20 pence in addition to a car park's normal parking fees. No parking tickets are issued as parking attendants can accurately check which vehicles have paid using the RingGo system through special mobile phones, which link directly to RingGo's central data system. Drivers can also extend their stay by mobile phone without having to go back to the car park and feed the cash machine, and without running the risk of getting a Penalty Charge Notice.

Cllr Andrew Backhouse, Scarborough Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Technical Services said:

"I am very pleased that we have been able to launch the RingGo system in our borough. It will bring additional benefits for both our resident and visiting motorists who will be able to park without having to hunt for loose change and be safe in the knowledge that they can extend their stay if necessary without going back to the car park. It has been rolled out across the borough so that a driver who uses RingGo in Scarborough one day, can use it in Whitby or Filey the next, without having to re-register. You can still pay by cash in our car parks, but this new system gives extra convenience and choice."

The council is hoping that the new cashless option will be particularly useful for visitors to the borough, especially as the recession is persuading many British holidaymakers to stay closer to home, and the strong euro is encouraging visitors from the continent. Harry Clarke, Commercial Director for RingGo agrees:

"Scarborough Borough Council couldn't have picked a better time to broaden their range of payment options. We have seen unprecedented levels of interest in RingGo over the last couple of months - especially from councils that will benefit from high levels of tourist trade. Forward-thinking councils have recognised they can best capitalise on the expected tourist boom this summer, by offering visitors a wider range of facilities."