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6h ago

RAC Survey Finds Most Parking App Users Hit Snags, Fueling Push for Non‑App Payment Options

Take‑up of the National Parking Platform is still narrow, with many councils having removed pay machines.

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Overview

  • An RAC‑commissioned survey of 1,709 drivers found 73% of those who used parking apps in the past year had problems, most commonly no mobile signal (70%), misidentified car parks (36%) or app crashes (35%).
  • Drivers said they prefer to pay by bank or contactless cards (46%) or cash (33%) rather than an app (30%).
  • The RAC urged all operators to provide at least two ways to pay so drivers are not compelled to use apps.
  • Ten local authorities, including Manchester, Liverpool and Coventry, are trialling the National Parking Platform, but broader adoption by councils and private operators remains limited.
  • Digital barriers persist, with 13% unable to use the apps—rising to 26% among those aged 75 and over—and 36% of users carrying three or more different parking apps.