Parking permits go paperless on Council car parks

Paperless season tickets are being rolled out for motorists on surface car parks run by Stafford Borough Council.

Drivers will now be able to get permits instantly and at any time on four car parks in Stafford and Stone – a move that will reduce paper use and costs for the local authority.

Pay by phone is already used on most council-run car parks in Stafford and has become increasingly popular with customers. This is now being extended to purchasing season tickets on a number of surface car parks from 1 August.

The four sites are Doxey Long Stay, Gaol Road, and North Walls in Stafford, and Christchurch Way in Stone. And a new QR code at the sites will take motorists directly to ‘Pay by Phone.’

Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning, Councillor Frances Beatty, said there were so many positive elements to the initiative – including saving council money at a time when authorities were recovering from the financial impact of the pandemic.

She said: “As well as reducing costs, there is the environmental impact of using less paper; being able to buy a permit round the clock and not just in office hours, and the permit is issued instantly – you don’t have to come and collect it or wait for it to arrive in the post. And there is now the option to receive a text reminder to renew your season ticket when it expires.”

The permits can be for one, three, six or 12 months and can be purchased through ‘Pay by Phone’ via the app, website, phone or text – www.paybyphone.co.uk. For more information go to www.staffordbc.gov.uk/parking.

Councillor Beatty added: “We will be contacting the existing permit holders to let them know this is being done as well as putting information on the website and across social media.”

Press Release No 5792