ONLY hours after the Liberals called for credit card parking machines at all big ACT Government car parks, the Government has responded with a $300,000 Budget commitment to upgrade Canberra’s parking machines to smart parking technology.
Treasurer Andrew Barr said the parking machine upgrade will mean all machines be upgraded to at least be credit card capable.
“However, we think we can also do better than this and will consult the market on delivering smart parking options, such as those used successfully in other countries,” he said.
“These systems allow people to pay for parking via their mobile phone, and receive reminders if their parking is about to run out.
“Mobile phone use is a part of everyday life for most Canberrans. SMS parking technology exists elsewhere in the world. It allows people to register their phone number and their vehicle and then punch in a code and pay for parking via their phone.
“It eliminates the need for cash or credit card and utilises a technology that most Canberrans use every day.
“Obviously, we would retain some capability for cash and credit card for those who do not have smart phones or who are not confident in using them.”
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