Councils must let drivers pay for parking with cash, says AA

The AA has called on councils to make sure drivers can continue using cash to pay for parking.

According to a new survey, cash is the number one payment option for 40% of drivers.

That puts it well ahead of alternatives, such as:

• contactless - 28%
• app - 14%
• chip and pin - 12%

But the AA has pointed out several councils have already or are looking at converting many of their car parks into cashless sites.

This could be particularly difficult for less affluent motorists.

Figures showed that more than half of drivers on low incomes would prefer to use cash to pay for parking.

Meanwhile, older people were also found to favour cash over digital alternatives when buying a parking ticket.

Drivers ‘getting frustrated by cashless car parks’

The AA pointed that many drivers are so annoyed at not being able to use cash in car parks that they’re simply moving and finding somewhere else to leave their vehicle.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the motoring group, said that with the high street “already under strain”, refusing cash from people who are willing to pay “seems counterintuitive”.

“Parking the car should be a simple and hassle-free experience,” he commented.

“But some drivers are becoming more frustrated as taking cash has become less common.

“Allowing parking to be paid by a multitude of options seems the best solution for both car parks and drivers.”

Cash helps people manage budgets

For many, one of the biggest advantages of cash is that it helps people stay in control of their finances when money is tight.

It’s so easy to swipe a card without a second thought, but using cash can make you much more aware of what you’re spending.

So it’s no surprise to see that many drivers on low incomes prefer to use cash to pay for parking.

As Graham Mott of LINK said recently: “For those on low budgets, there’s still no better alternative to managing your finances than using notes and coins.”