CONTROVERSIAL extra charges for parking that were on trial in the borough are to be made permanent under council plans.
The RingGo system, which allows drivers to pay their parking charge by mobile phone using their debit or credit cards for an extra charge of 20p plus the cost of the call, was introduced in April last year.
The council now plans to make the scheme permanent, subject to a consultation, along with the 20p charge, as well as a 20p charge to extend the parking time, 10p for a text message to remind the driver when their time is nearly up and 10p for a receipt via text.
If a parking metre is broken, drivers are forced to use the alternative system or face a fine.
Carol Darvell, practice manager at Elaine Atkins Physiotherapy in Woodford Green High Road, said staff there often had to use their own mobile phones to pay on behalf of patients.
“We have a few elderly patients who don’t have mobile phones, so that’s a problem to start with,” she said.
“They have to rush into the practice so see if we can help, which of course we will, and their car is in the car park without a ticket.”
She said people who used a car park should be able to buy some form of season ticket as an alternative to the system.
Fellow trader David Leake, of DP Leake electrical store, also in the High Road, said: “It is totally discriminatory to insist people carry credit cards and mobile phones around whenever they are going to use a car park.
“Some people do not have credit or even debit cards and many are reluctant to carry them around as they have heard about scams by unscrupulous traders who copy details.”
Frank Cruder, 67, of Chelmsford Road, South Woodford, who has spoken out against the payment system as chairman of the Chelmsford and Derby Road Neighbourhood Watch, said: “It’s still a problem in Derby Road.
“When the machine in Derby Road isn’t working, enforcement officers seem to be there four to five times a day, giving people tickets when they haven’t used RingGo.
"I think it affects a lot of our businesses in the High Road."
People can still comment on the plans by writing to The Information Centre, Lynton House, 255 to 259 High Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1NN.
A Redbridge Council spokeswoman said: "The Council has successfully trialled cashless parking facilities in all of its public car parks, using the RingGo system and has now agreed to adopt such a system permanently.
"This will supplement the existing pay and display machines in all of these car parks and will be extended to on-street locations as well.
"There are currently no plans to remove pay and display machines in any council car park.
"There are about 2,600 users of the system each month. We acknowledge the system isn’t liked by some motorists but it is offered as an alternative payment option so motorists may still use the established pay and display machines if they prefer.
"The Council receives the relevant parking fee only but the operator of the system charges an additional convenience fee to meet its costs."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here