Wollongong council has started dismantling the credit card facilities at its on-street and some off-street parking meters, after introducing a new pay-by-app system last month.
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The move has angered some social media users, who say the council should be giving people as many ways as possible to pay for parking.
But the council’s commercial business manager Jenny Towers said the credit card facilities had not been well used and would have become expensive if they were kept on all machines.
‘‘Credit card providers ... issued a mandate [to the council] in 2013 that all non-attended devices such as parking meters be upgraded to ensure better credit card security,’’ she said in a statement.
‘‘Data shows that the credit card usage on these meters was low at less than 10per cent, whereas in [four and eight hour] car parks it was around 35per cent.
‘‘[The] council could not justify the cost of upgrading all parking meters as the credit card usage was very low.’’ She also noted the council only made 70¢ in revenue for each $1 parking meter fee, due to a 20cent bank fee and GST.
The council reported the start of its credit card removal through its Facebook and Instagram accounts on Tuesday night, prompting online commentator Michael Leslie to question their decision as it was ‘‘yet another reason to stay out of the Wollongong CBD’’.
‘‘Stupid idea to remove existing technology that makes it easy to pay the fee and force the use of an app the casual user will not download,’’ he said on the council’s Instagram account.
Another city worker, who did not want to be named, was trying to park on Market Street on Tuesday and said she was surprised by the lack of credit card facilities, as it took her about 10 minutes to work out the parking payment process with the new app. As a lawyer working with many elderly clients, she worried people who did not have smart phones would struggle to buy the online tickets.
To use the new parking app, Cellopark, you have to download it onto your smart phone and then create an account by entering your name, phone number, email address and numberplate details.
You then need to enter credit card details and have a mobile phone pin sent to your phone to use the app, which requires you to scan a QR code on the meter or enter location details instead of getting a ticket through the machine.
Ms Towers said motorists who did not have a smart phone could register with the app online before parking, and then make a phone the Cellopark number using a non-smart mobile phone to activate their parking time.
The council said it would remove all credit card facilities from on-street meters as well as two and three hour car parks in the next couple of week.
Card payment will remain for four-hour and eight-hour parking spaces and cash payment will remain on all meters.
kmcilwain@fairfaxmedia.com.au
