Row as Kensington and Chelsea council rips out meters to offer only cashless parking

A row has broken out over a decision by a London council to offer only cashless parking for motorists by next year.

Kensington and Chelsea council announced today that it is to start ripping out its 700 ticket machines as it moves to entirely cash-free parking by 2020. Motorists will instead have to pay using an app on a smartphone.

Campaigners criticised the council’s decision, saying that some older and disabled drivers could find themselves unable to use the technology.

Lisa Harris, a spokeswoman for the over-fifties company Saga, said: “It simply cannot be right to exclude some individuals from being able to park in the borough just because they either can’t, or choose not to, make payments by a smartphone.”

The authority said it will begin to take machines out of service from next Monday before they are physically removed from September.

A spokesman said they did not anticipate any problems but admitted that “contingencies” had been considered for those unable to use the system — including giving people tablet devices.

He added: “We consulted with user groups before we started this roll out and responded to their feedback to make sure everyone can pay for parking effectively.

“People can pay for their parking via computer, smart phone and or via a phone line.

“We’re rolling out a new system over a number of months to test and make sure everyone can access the system effectively.”

Cem Kemahli, the council’s lead member for environment, said it would cut pollution as staff would no longer need to drive thousands of miles a year to collect cash from the ticket machines.

“Cashless parking is more convenient for drivers and eliminates the risk of theft from machines,” he said.

“But more importantly it also means that our staff will no longer have to drive 23,000 miles every year, to maintain and to collect cash from parking machines.”

Earlier this year, it was revealed that crime gangs had used sledgehammers, drills and vacuum cleaners to steal more than £120,000 from parking meters in the borough.