Parking facilities have undergone considerable transformations over the past few decades concerning payment collection. From the early days of coin-operated metres to the latest mobile and contactless payment systems, these changes have been driven by technological advancements.

This blog post will delve into the evolution of payment methods at car parking facilities and how these advancements have revolutionised parking management.

Coin-Operated Metres

The first parking enforcement ticket machine to be invented was coin-operated metres in the 1930s. These simplistic machines required drivers to insert coins into the metre to receive an amount of parking time. While innovative for its time, these machines were not able to give change, meaning that users had to deposit the exact sum to avoid overpaying for their parking.

Pay and Display Machines

Off the back of coin-operated metres, the first pay and display machines were created in the 1970s and 80s. These systems enabled users to purchase a ticket from the machine, placing them on their dashboard as proof of payment. Although this updated pay and display model allowed for larger payments and a range of parking durations, it still relied on cash to make transactions.

Card Payments

With the introduction of debit and credit cards in the 90s, parking facilities saw a notable improvement in payment collection. Being able to pay for parking by card was much more convenient for users as it didn’t rely on them carrying around cash. Aside from user convenience, card payments at pay and display machines drastically reduced the risk of theft and vandalism associated with cash handling, simplifying revenue collection and increasing security.

Contactless Payments

Contactless payment technology enables individuals to make payments with just a tap of a card or a smartphone. Although contactless card technology was introduced in 2007, it didn’t become a popular payment method until 2015 onwards. Once it did, contactless payment had a profound effect on the efficiency of paying at car parking facilities. Now, users can quickly pay for parking without the need to insert a card or enter a PIN, speeding up transaction times and time spent queueing at payment machines.

Mobile Payment Solutions

The most recent innovation in parking payments has been the emergence of mobile payment solutions. Dedicated parking mobile apps allow users to pay for parking directly from their smartphones. These apps offer useful features, such as reminders when parking time is due to expire and the ability to extend parking sessions remotely. Mobile payments have made parking more convenient, reducing reliance on physical parking enforcement ticket machines.

Level up Your Car Parking Facility

At Park Direct UK, we offer 24-hour controlled parking solutions. Our expert team is ready to help you implement the latest advancements in parking management, from automatic number plate recognition to modern pay and display machines.

To learn more about modern parking enforcement ticket machines and how they can benefit your facility, call us at 0845 026 7155 or get in touch online.