Introduction

Local authorities and private parking enforcement companies have been phasing out old pay-and-display machines and switching to cash-free ways of parking payment machines. In most places, this now means an app, a contactless card terminal or, occasionally, a quick phone payment is being utilised as a means of payment. The change mirrors the wider move towards digital payments, but it’s also driven by councils seeking to cut running costs and keep ageing equipment going for as long as possible.

Supporters of the cashless approach say it makes life easier for drivers and reduces maintenance costs. Others are far less convinced, particularly those who still prefer cash or find apps fiddly. This report pulls together public information, research, surveys and case studies to give a clearer picture of what’s happening and where things might be heading.

Evidence of Cashless Parking Adoption by Councils

According to Business Matters, more than 20 English councils have now replaced their pay-and-display machines with app-based systems, and eight councils — mostly in London — have taken out their machines entirely.
(bmmagazine.co.uk)

A good example is the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, which removed its pay-and-display machines altogether. Drivers there now pay through a parking app, by phone or at PayPoint shops, with the council estimating savings of roughly £1.8 million by not replacing its old machines.
(kingston.gov.uk)

Older machines relied heavily on 3G technology, which is being withdrawn by network operators — a major reason many councils have opted to remove them rather than invest in replacements. The cost of repairs, vandalism and the hassle of cash collection are all factors too.
(bmmagazine.co.uk)

With more councils going down this path, cash supporting parking machines are disappearing from many towns and cities, marking a definite shift towards digital-first parking systems.

Changing Driver Preferences

There’s a lot of talk about younger drivers being more comfortable with apps and digital payments, and some evidence supports this. But large numbers of motorists are still not keen on app-based parking.

Research published by Autocar in 2024 reported that 83% of drivers said they preferred cash or contactless cards, while only 14% favoured apps as their first choice.
(rac.co.uk)

So while cashless parking may be spreading fast, it’s far from universally popular — and that’s an important tension as councils and private parking enforcement companies move away from cash supporting parking payment machines.

Challenges with Cashless Parking

Challenges People Experience with Parking Apps

Recent figures released by the RAC Media Centre paint a fairly stark picture. Of the drivers who used a parking app within the previous year, almost three-quarters experienced problems:

• Poor mobile signal in the car park — 70%.
• The app is not recognising the car park — 36%.
• App crashes or failed payment attempts — 35%.
• Bank card rejection within the app — 24%.
• Difficulty understanding how to use the app — 13%, rising to 26% among drivers aged 75+.

(media.rac.co.uk)

These are not trivial issues. If someone can’t get a signal or the app won’t load, they can’t pay — and that’s clearly a problem if the council has removed the machine as the fallback option.

Wider Concerns: Inclusion, Access and Practicality

Digital exclusion is one of the biggest worries raised by campaigners and motorists. Not everyone owns a smartphone or feels confident using one; others have data limits or unreliable reception. Media coverage has repeatedly highlighted concerns about people being effectively shut out of parking if cash options disappear.
(lbc.co.uk)

Another issue is the number of different apps councils use. Drivers can easily find themselves needing several different apps depending on where they park — something frequently criticised in surveys and comment pieces.
(lbc.co.uk)

App-only systems can also falter in rural or signal-poor areas, where the technology simply isn’t dependable.
(media.rac.co.uk)

On the flip side, cashless systems can be handy when they work well — extending a session remotely, avoiding coins, receiving digital receipts and so on. Many drivers who’ve embraced the apps say these features save time.
(lbc.co.uk)

Outlook, Risks and Recommendations

What’s Likely to Happen Next

The direction of travel is fairly clear: old machines are expensive to keep running, networks are switching off 3G, and councils are under financial pressure. Unsurprisingly, many are continuing to move towards app- and card-based systems.
(bmmagazine.co.uk)

Younger motorists may be more comfortable with cashless methods, so demand could grow steadily. However, this doesn’t mean full adoption will be smooth. Areas with older populations, patchy phone signal, or limited connectivity may resist — or simply struggle with — a complete shift away from machines.

Risks and Unintended Problems

• Digital exclusion/inequality: Excluding cash payment or forcing app-only payments risks excluding individuals without smartphones or contactless cards — especially older or low-income people. Reports suggest this is already a concern in some areas. (The Standard)

• Reliability issues: App failures, signal loss, card‑payment errors — all threaten to make parking payment unreliable, potentially leaving motorists unable to pay legitimately. As the recent RAC research shows, many drivers already face such problems. (RAC Media Centre)

• Fragmentation of payment systems: With multiple apps required for different councils or operators, drivers may need several apps installed — reducing convenience, causing confusion, and discouraging app adoption. (Highways News)

• Loss of contingency: If cashless systems fail (network outage, app server failure, mobile‑signal dead zones), there may be no fallback — unlike cash machines which can operate independently. This raises questions about resilience and redundancy.

• User trust and adoption barriers: Surveys show large majorities of motorists still prefer cash or contactless cards over apps; distrust of apps or fears of fraud/complexity may slow adoption. (Autocar)

Suggestions for Councils and Operators

1. Ensure multiple payment options remain available — even if cashless systems become predominant. Maintain contactless card terminals, phone‑payment options, or limited cash/card‑accepting machines to serve those unable or unwilling to use apps.

2. Improve user communication and support, especially during transition: clear signage, frequent reminders, support hotlines, and accessible guidance for older or less digitally‑confident users.

3. Standardise parking payment platforms or adopt interoperable systems — reduce the burden on motorists of installing multiple apps by encouraging a national or cross‑council parking‑app standard or platform.

4. Monitor and collect data on cashless‑payment performance and user experience — record rates of payment failures, complaints, demographics of users, and mobile‑signal coverage; use this data to assess scope, equity and reliability of cashless parking.

5. Prioritise network reliability and fallback options — ensure that payment systems are robust even in low‑signal areas or during outages; consider hybrid systems (app + card + occasional physical terminals) rather than full app‑only solutions.

6. Protect vulnerable groups — explicitly assess impact on older people, low‑income households, or those with limited digital access; consider exemptions, alternative payment options, or subsidies to maintain inclusive access.

Conclusion

Cashless parking is spreading quickly across the UK as councils retire outdated pay-and-display machines. But surveys show that most motorists still prefer cash or contactless cards, and a high proportion report difficulties when using apps. Without careful planning and an understanding of who may be left behind, the move towards app-first parking could cause real frustration — or even exclude groups of people altogether.

A more balanced approach, combining modern digital tools with accessible alternatives, is far more likely to deliver a system that works for everyone as the UK continues down the cashless path.