All our car park and on-street pay and display machines are to be replaced starting in Park Street, Weymouth on Tuesday 9 May 2023.
Replacement of the machines is expected to complete by mid-July, with the new machines offering improved reliability and a consistent user experience.
The machines will provide customers with a range of payment options, including cash, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and an online app. Wi-Fi will also be improved in car parks with weak phone signals, ensuring smoother transactions. The payment facilities and display screens will at a height suitable for wheelchair users.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, Dorset Council, said: “Our new machines will address the reliability issues that have frustrated us and our customers. They’ll also bring a standard across the area, something we’ve been keen to address since we became one council.
“I am pleased we will continue to accept cash, as I appreciate how irritating it is for people in other areas where this is no longer an option.”
Cllr Bryan continued: “We thank our customers for their co-operation during this process as we strive to make parking process easier for all.”
Updated communications technology will enable the council to be automatically informed if the machines experience a fault, with the required fix happening quickly and remotely whenever possible.
It would be great to have parking machine payment options – many older people don’t have a smartphone (in our case, it’s too expensive for a minimal use device) or don’t use a bank card. I know many older people who still only use cash. Lack of trust & tech knowledge are to blame as well as the great risk of fraud.
Well done for retaining the cash payment option. I hope that this will decision will be maintained county-wide in the future.
A welcome improvement, thanks.
Thank you for starting the new parking meter installation at Park Street car park Weymouth installing. Before the change I could park there for 2 hours for £1.50 now I face a 300% increase to £4.50 for 2 hours.
Well done Dorset Council another great move, this Weymouth resident truly loves what you are doing for our local community. Obviously none of you lot live in Weymouth.
Hi Mike, we have aimed to keep the impact on residents and businesses to a minimum, with not all tariffs increasing. For example, in Weymouth Governors Lane, Cozens Quay and Council offices car parks prices have not increased.
You may find one of our permits is a money saving option. For example, our Short Stay permit enabling two hours parking in many of our car parks every day costs £78 a year, so if even just used for two hours a week that is £1.50 a time. Our Flexi car park permit, giving unlimited parking in the majority of our car parks costs £25 if purchased for a month, or £260 for 12 months, the equivalent of £5 a week for year-round parking. You can se3 more about our permits and apply here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/parking/permits/apply-for-a-parking-permit Claire
Ensure screens are READABLE in direct bright sunlight please
Yes, The screen opposite the toilets at Charmouth Road car park at Lyme Regis is particularly bad for glare. It is also probably the most used of the units.
I’m happy that you added cash to give people the option
I would like to enquire under the Freedom of Information Act what the cost has been over the period 2020 -2023 of installing the new machines in all Dorset Car Parks and which have proved uniformly unreliable. In Bridport and West Bay the machines were virtually permanently proclaimed ‘Out of Order.’
I should also like to know the cost of their replacement in total £.
We have logged this as a Freedom of Information request. Please find more details about the Freedom of Information process here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/your-council/about-your-council/freedom-of-information/access-to-information-and-fees-for-dorset-council Claire
What do you want to know for ? There is nothing you can do about the cost anyway is there !
You replaced the meter in near the Swannery and up the price for 1 hour from £2 to £3. Not very kind.
Hello, not all our tariffs are increasing. For example, in Weymouth Governors Lane, Cozens Quay and Council offices car parks prices have stayed the same.
Our permits are a money saving option for residents. For example, our Short Stay permit enabling two hours parking in many of our car parks every day costs £78 a year, so if even just used for two hours a week that is £1.50 a time. Our Flexi car park permit, giving unlimited parking in the majority of our car parks costs £25 if purchased for a month, or £260 for 12 months, the equivalent of £5 a week for year-round parking. You can se3 more about our permits and apply here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/parking/permits/apply-for-a-parking-permit Regards, Claire
Pleased to hear easy methods for everyone to pay for car parking in Dorset is being reinstated, I will definitely be getting out and about more now. I’m of the older generation but I know a lot of younger people find trying to use lots of different apps frustrating too. Thank you for listening!
Thank goodness Weymouth is changing to multipurpose payment machines! Recently visited Christchurch Saxon Square, and was delighted that the ticket machine in the carpark took cash. No request for licence plate number just put money in the machine pressed a button and low and behold the required ticket came out! No problem – simple!! A very happy motorist customer!!
I’m glad there is going to be a standard across the area. I did install an app once then found a different car park used a different app so abandoned the idea because I didn’t want to fill my phone up with multiple apps. also glad to retain cash.
Hi I used to park in the car park beside Bridport football but now the machine needs an app which my phone doesn’t what a shame I hope that all the car parks in Bridport do not go the same way.
Hi Allan, all our car parks should have an option of at least one machine that accepts cash. They also accept contactless payment by card. Would you be able to give me the address of the car park and I will look into this? Thanks, Claire