1. Participation in the National Parking Platform has delivered customer experience
benefits to residents and visitors alike by making it quicker and easier to pay for parking,
using the service of their choice, for those that prefer digital cashless payment. The
continued growth of cashless app payment in East Suffolk, despite the passing of service
fees to the customer, highlights the importance of convenience to our customers.
2. Providing the option of a choice of parking apps can support digital inclusion, as it
increases the likelihood that customers with a preferred app will be able to use a
payment option that they are familiar and comfortable with wherever they choose to
park. Reverting to a single cashless app or removing this option entirely forces
customers to use a payment method they may not be comfortable to use.
3. Doing as much as possible to encourage the use of cashless payment methods also
supports the Council’s net-zero ambitions by reducing the reliance on diesel powered
security vans to collect cash from the pay and display machines across the district. The
greater the proportion of sessions registered through a cashless method, the greater the
reduction in mileage and emissions.
4. There are no immediate financial implications arising from continued participation, nor
have any particular concerns been identified around the legal implications. Participation
serves as a mitigating factor around the risk of a parking payment method being
unavailable.
5. Declining to continue participation means that East Suffolk Council will withdraw from
using the Platform and will need to procure a single cashless parking payment provider
or no longer continue offering app payment as an option for customers. This approach
would be detrimental to the customer experience while offering no identifiable
advantage over participating – these options are not recommended.
6. Refraining from providing a direction and maintaining the status-quo will allow East
Suffolk Council to continue participating in the very short term, but not signing up to the
revised contract and governance provisions will eventually result in disconnection from
the Platform. This will leave East Suffolk Council without a cashless parking payment
provider and will have the same effect as immediately declining to continue
participation – this option is not recommended.
7. Should continued participation be approved, East Suffolk Council will be required to
agree to a connection contract, as well as continue to feed into the ongoing
development of the Platform as consortium members. Commissions are also subject to
future review. Delegation of authority to the relevant Strategic Director (in consultation
with the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development and Transport)
to take such necessary operational decisions will support the timely and efficient
implementation of the direction to continue participation.