Millions are forced to use mobile phone apps to pay for parking their car 

Millions of motorists are being forced to use their mobile phones to pay for parking – or soon will be, a survey revealed today.

In a poll by the RAC, 19 per cent of drivers said their council had scrapped payment meters or was consulting on doing so. The worrying trend, previously highlighted by the Mail, risks leaving the elderly or vulnerable more isolated as they struggle to use parking apps.

Almost 60 per cent of the 1,900 polled were angry about meters being axed, rising to 73 per cent for those aged 65 and older. The RAC’s Rod Dennis said removing machines could contribute to social isolation.

More than half of over-65s do not feel comfortable using parking apps, a Mail poll found this year.

A fifth (20 per cent) of drivers said they felt discriminated against as they cannot use mobile apps to pay for parking.

Mr Dennis said: ‘It’s vital councils, and indeed private parking operators, carefully assess the impact of going down this route before taking machines away.

‘Our research shows that – by removing some methods of paying for parking – they are undoubtedly making life harder for some drivers and possibly contributing to social isolation.

‘The move could also lead to lower parking revenue as a result of drivers being put off from parking in the first place, something that’s surely not in any local authority’s interests.’

Communities Secretary Michael Gove wrote to councils in April expressing concern about drivers being ‘digitally excluded’ through a lack of alternative payment methods.

There are complaints among drivers about the number of different parking apps used by councils, such as RingGo, PayByPhone, JustPark, ParkMobile and ParkMe.

To use each one, drivers must download them and enter their details. Some charge an additional fee.

Some 11 per cent of people surveyed reported that a proportion or all parking payment machines have been removed near where they live, with an additional 8 per cent saying their local authority is consulting on doing so.

Drivers in London were most likely to say either of the scenarios applied to them (44 per cent) followed by those in the east of England (23 per cent) and the East Midlands (22 per cent).

Many councils and private parking operators are getting rid of older machines that process card payments by 3G mobile signals, which telecoms operators are switching off.

This has left them with the choice of buying more modern machines or switching to a phone-based payment system, which does not require physical infrastructure in car parks beyond signs.

The RAC surveyed 1,900 UK drivers who are part of its driver opinion panel. They figures were weighted to be nationally representative.