Cash payments now available for on-street parking bays
Cash payments can now be made for on-street car parking bays in Harpenden and St Albans City Centre.
The measure has been introduced to help people who struggle with digital payment methods, either the PayByPhone app or contactless.
Instead, motorists can choose to pop into a PayPoint shop near the bays and pay by cash.
All they need to provide is the registration plate of their vehicle and the PayByPhone location code of the parking bay which can be found on signs and payment machines.
The initiative follows St Albans City and District Council’s decision to charge for the use of 243 limited waiting bays in Harpenden and 70 in St Albans.
Another improvement of the service will allow people using the PayByPhone app to enter only one code.
Currently, they need to input two codes – one to activate the free half-hour parking and the other to activate payment for additional time.
A new one-code system is being tested and scheduled to come into operation later this month to make the app easier to use.
Councillor Helen Campbell, Lead for Parking, said:
It was always our intention to find a way for people to pay by cash although modern parking machines do not allow this.
Most people are using PayByPhone with many others using contactless, but it is important that we allow for cash payments too.
We recognise there are some people who might not be able to use a mobile phone app or contactless or who simply prefer not to do so.
We do not want anyone to feel excluded from using these parking spaces, so I am pleased that our PayPoint system is now up and running. It is all about giving our residents and visitors choice and flexibility.
The shops taking part in the scheme will display a PayPoint sticker in the window and are strategically located close to the bays.
In Harpenden, you can pay by cash at: Morrisons Daily, 46 High Street, and Wines Beers Spirits, 28 Station Road.
In St Albans, you can pay by cash at: Dulcies, 30 St Peter’s Street, Tas Food and Wine, 109 Victoria Street, Shree News, 147 Victoria Street, The Little Convenience Store, 130 London Road, and the Esso Service Station, 99-111 London Road.
Motorists are reminded that with PayByPhone you can also phone over a payment to 0330 400 7275.
In Harpenden, you can use one of the nine contactless payment machines by inputting your registration plate.
For more information, please see: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/car-parks-and-street-pay-and-display
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.