Parking in England via apps costs up to 40% more — The Guardian

In England, drivers may pay up to 40% more than the stated rate for municipal parking through mobile apps because of mandatory service fees. As The Guardian reports, many local councils have removed parking meters and encourage the use of apps, while in the event of meter malfunctions this is often the only payment method.

Apps allow municipalities to reduce the costs of installing and maintaining parking meters. At the same time, some councils do not pay operators' fees themselves, instead passing all or part of the costs on to drivers. Such fees usually range from 10 to 30 pence, but are not included in the rates displayed on parking signs.

The surcharge can reach 40%

In Harrogate, North Yorkshire, drivers pay a mandatory 30-pence fee for parking through an app. At a rate of 80 pence, this increases the cost by 38%. At the municipal Christleton Road car park in Chester, two hours of parking at a base price of 50 pence cost 40% more after a 20-pence fee is added.

Drivers may additionally be charged from 10 to 30 pence for SMS confirmation of a booking and notifications that paid time is ending. The size of the service fee depends on arrangements between a particular local council and the app operator, so drivers cannot know in advance what amount they will be charged.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Fees are shown at the end of payment

The Guardian checked several apps by booking one hour of parking at car parks in different parts of the country. In RingGo, a 20-pence surcharge was added to a £2 rate in Lancaster; in PayByPhone, 15 pence was added to a £5.10 rate in Birmingham. JustPark charged a 12-pence fee on a £3.50 payment in Lyme Regis, while MiPermit added 10 pence to a £1.90 charge in Littlehampton.

According to the publication, none of the checked apps displayed the service fee clearly before the payment stage. In some cases, users had to tap an information icon or scroll down the page to see an explanation for the increase in the amount.

Representatives of RingGo, JustPark and PayByPhone said that information on prices and fees is available in their apps before payment is confirmed. The Local Government Association stated that app operators themselves must ensure that fees are communicated clearly and in advance. The UK Department for Transport stressed that drivers should clearly see the amount they will be charged before paying for parking.