In response to requests from local residents, H&F Council is trialing a new system for paying for street parking.
From October 20, anyone parking in Zone E – that’s south of Olympia between Hammersmith and Talgarth roads – will be able to use their mobile phones to make payments.
"Residents have asked the Council to make on-street parking easier," says Cllr Wesley Harcourt, cabinet member for transport and environment. "Using your mobile phone to pay for parking means you don’t have to carry change and you can top up without having to return to your car if you stay longer than planned. It’s part of a range of new measures we are exploring to make life easier for local people and their visitors."
Mobile payments can be made either by phone, text or by downloading the RingGo app which many people already use for parking in other parts of London and beyond. To pay via the app you simply enter your vehicle registration and the location code of the bay you want to park in, and confirm payment.
The mobile system does not replace existing pay & display machines. You will still be able to buy tickets using cash at machines on the street if you prefer.
If the trial is a success, the scheme could be extended across the borough.
To answer any questions and help people sign up for the app, there will be two open days at Avonmore Library. These are on Monday October 20 and Saturday October 25 October, from 10.30am to 4pm.
Everyone within Zone E will get a letter about the new scheme and there will be new parking signs on the affected streets and on pay & display machines.
"We want to hear whether residents like the new scheme," adds Cllr Harcourt. "Feedback will help us tailor the way mobile payments work to make sure it’s as convenient as it can be before we extend it across the borough."
Please email your experiences and suggestions to parkingpolicies@lbhf.gov.uk
There will be a formal consultation in Zone E in the spring to assess in detail whether mobile parking is popular with local people.
It has also set up a resident task force to review match-day parking.
There are also plans to consult residents next year on a 20mph speed limit on all residential streets.
