More than 80% of drivers dislike using parking apps
How do you feel about parking apps?
A recent survey by Autocar revealed that more than four in five drivers dislike using the many parking apps available in the UK.
But what’s the fuss about? They’re there to make everyone’s lives easier, right?
The trouble with parking apps
83% of the 1387 people surveyed said they preferred to use contactless card payments or cash to park instead of the apps.
Drivers stated that they were concerned about online fraud and that some apps were overly complicated.
The outcomes show that only 14% of drivers preferred using parking apps over any other form of payment.
Parking apps require the driver to download the app and set up an account with their banking details. Having to do this is not so bad if it’s a one-off. But alas, there are 30 different apps needed to park in different areas around the UK.
The tedium and inconvenience of having to repeat this process to pay for parking, which should be a simple task, has many Brits up in arms.
What does the future hold for parking payments?
In October 2023, Prime Minister Sunak and Transport Secretary Harper revealed plans for a National Parking Platform.
This came in response to the growing concerns around parking apps, with the aim to streamline the process so drivers can use one system for all parking payments, no matter where they leave their vehicles.
At the time of the announcement, the Government stated that the platform would be live by Autumn 2024.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Paying for parking should be one of the simplest things any driver has to do, yet the reality has been anything but with people forced to download and register a plethora of different mobile apps depending on where they are in the country.
“The roll-out of the National Parking Platform therefore brings about some much-needed simplification and should make drivers’ lives easier.”
In other news, December saw London councils net close to £8.5m in parking fines. Find out more.
3 Comments
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I completely agree! As a frequent driver, I find parking apps to be frustrating and inconvenient. They often don’t work properly, and it’s a hassle to deal with the extra step of downloading and installing an app just to find a parking spot. I much prefer the simplicity of just driving around and finding a parking spot on my own.