Pay and Display Machines Taken Out Of Service In Guildford Town Centre

Published on: 12 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 16 Apr, 2025

A motorist pays to park in North Street

By Esme Campbell

The majority of on-street pay and display parking machines in Guildford town centre are no longer in service, having been replaced by an app-only payment option.

As of April 3, Surrey County Council (SCC) has taken two-thirds of parking payment machines out of commission, a decision shaped by the increasing popularity of the RingGo app payment service. According to an SCC spokesperson, 70 per cent of parking payments are made using this method.

The council also said the upkeep of the machines is too costly, as they are “increasingly difficult to repair and maintain.” It now costs more to service the machines and collect their cash than they produce in income.

The town centre currently has 15 coin payment machines left in operation, spread evenly around the area.

The council plans to update some of the machines over the coming year, and has switched off the ones that collect the least money to identify which need replacing and where.

SCC are encouraging people to contact them with their views on this.

Responses to Pay and Display Machines Taken Out Of Service In Guildford Town Centre

M Durant Reply

April 13, 2025 at 1:21 am

To use the RinGo app you have to pay extra on top of the parking fee, it has also significant implications for employment. The introduction of this app eliminates the need for workers who check and collect parking meter payments, as well as putting the companies that manufacture parking meters out of business. This shift prioritizes efficiency and savings but comes at the expense of working-class jobs, transferring economic benefits to app creators, who are unlikely to share the same socioeconomic background as those affected.

This system discriminates against individuals who prefer or need to pay in cash rather than through a smartphone app. By excluding those who do not rely on digital payment methods, it creates barriers for a segment of the population, undermining the principle of accessibility in public services.
Valerie Thompson Reply

April 13, 2025 at 10:03 am

It’s a ridiculous idea. Not everyone has a mobile phone and even if they do, it may not be charged. On top of the excessive parking charges, Ringo’s bonus fee is 20 pence per session; that’s four shillings in old money!

Why can’t the machines take credit card payments? It’s just GBC being penny-pinching again, just like their closure of some public lavatories.

Guildford is dying as people go elsewhere to buy or browse. The shops are closing. It’s a very short-sighted decision.
- David Roberts Reply
  
  April 16, 2025 at 7:22 pm
  
  I have a pay-as-you-go smartphone but don’t need a phone contract or the internet when out and about. Downloading endless apps is for mugs.
  
  As Valerie Thompson says, why can’t we just swipe with a credit card, as happens in more sensible countries?
Olly Azad Reply

April 14, 2025 at 5:15 pm

As Donald Trump again threatens smartphone users with tariffs I wonder if app payment services such as RingGo and JustPark will soon go out of fashion with motorists?

By , I would sincerely encourage the public to take a stand, refuse to pay the surcharge on smartphones and resort to cash when paying to park in Guildford Town Centre.

These views can be shared with Surrey County Council.