Cash or card for town car parks

New pay machines that take both cash and card payments have been installed in three Spalding car parks.

South Holland District Council said the usage of the new machines, in Herring Lane, Victoria Street and Vine Street, will be monitored to determine demand for each type.

The council said this data, along with the upcoming consultation on the future of payment options for parking in the town “will be used to ensure that the most appropriate methods of payments are available to car park users across the district.”

A third payment option, via a mobile app, will be made available within the next few weeks.

This roll-out and consultation follows the council’s axed plans to introduce card- and app-only machines earlier this summer.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, portfolio holder for place, said: “We really value the feedback and suggestions of the district’s residents and since the initial announcement on parking was made, it has been clear that people wanted the widest possible selection of payment options that we could offer.

“We are keen to show the importance in which we hold the opinions and reactions of our residents.

“These three new machines will still offer many of the positives previously mentioned, including avoiding over-payment, more effective enforcement, easier management of takings and a reduction in the appeal of machine theft. Crucially though, we also remove the risk of anyone feeling isolated or excluded by the change in technology, and help encourage people into the town.

“We hope that users will benefit from the choice and convenience of different payment options and that they will make the parking process as quick and easy as possible for everyone who uses them.”

The latest Vine Street payment machine finally replaces the one stolen back in 2017.