- Majority of council car parks to switch to card and phone payments only
- Spinning School Lane car park to continue to accept cash payments
- Vandalism, theft and flooding to cash machines is costly to repair
Tamworth Borough Council is proposing to make changes to how people pay for parking in town centre council car parks to reduce the impact of vandalism, theft and to improve reliability, and make better use of public money.
Cashless payments are the current preferred payment method for users across all car parks with around two-thirds of parking payments in Tamworth made without cash, (card and pay by phone), meaning that cash payments account for nearly a third of parking payments.
Many of the car park machines are ageing and expensive to run. Cash payments require regular collection, counting, servicing and consumables, all of which place ongoing pressure on council budgets.
The council are always looking at opportunities to make savings, and switching to cashless parking in most council car parks is expects to save between £15,000 and £20,000 per year.
Additionally, cash machines across Tamworth continue to be targeted by criminals, with machines broken into and damaged in attempts to steal cash. These incidents cause further disruption and add to repair and maintenance costs.
The Jolly Sailor car park is also affected by regular flooding. This flooding repeatedly damages parking machines, especially those that handle cash, leading to frequent breakdowns in machines and costly repairs or replacements.
To address these problems, most council car parks will move to cashless payments, meaning drivers can pay by:
- Debit or credit card.
- Pay-by-phone (including app or automated call).
- Parking permits (where applicable).
However, the council recognises that some people still rely on cash. Spinning School Lane car park will continue to offer a cash payment option. This car park has been chosen because it is centrally located, is the largest town centre car park, and will offer both short and long-stay parking.
Moving to cashless parking will:
- Deliver ongoing savings that help protect frontline services.
- Reduce damage caused by flooding and vandalism.
- Cut the high costs of cash collection and machine repairs.
- Improve reliability so machines are working more often.
The council is committed to supporting residents and visitors through the transition. Measures will include:
- Clear and simple signs in all car parks.
- Easy-to-follow instructions on how to pay.
- Outreach and support through organisations such as charities and local community groups.
Blue Badge holders and council-issued parking permit holders will not be affected.
Before changes are introduced, there will be a formal public consultation as part of the Traffic Regulation Order process.
Once implemented, the new arrangements will be reviewed after 18 months to make sure they are working well and continue to meet the needs of residents and visitors.
Councillor Nova Arkney, portfolio holder for infrastructure and local economy for Tamworth Borough Council, said:
“We know parking is important to residents, visitors and local businesses. These changes are about keeping car parks safe, reliable and affordable, while making sure there is still a cash option available at Spinning School Lane for those who need it. We’ll continue to listen and review how this works in practice.”
More information about timings, consultation and support will be shared through the council’s website and local communications channels.