Ashton Town Team quiz council official over car parking plans

Members of Ashton Town Team have quizzed Tameside Council Director of Operations and Neighbourhoods Ian Saxon about car parking plans.

It comes amid a parking review and concerns that some pay to park ticket machines in town car parks could go ‘cashless’.

The town team has expressed concern that many people still prefer to pay with cash.

In response to the town team, Mr Saxon stated: “I can confirm the parking review is currently on-going and all car parks within the borough of Tameside will be assessed. 

“The parking review includes signage on car parks, upgrade of the payment machines to include cashless payment, general maintenance of each car park as well as overgrown vegetation and marking of bays.

“As part of the parking review, we are proposing to introduce cashless parking to all car parks by upgrading or replacing the current payment machines. 

“The new or upgraded machine will give customers the option to pay by cash or card when using our car parks.

“The Parking Industry is stepping up and reconfiguring car parks to adapt to the circumstances. The pandemic’s unseen advantage is the shift in technology, which will enable the provision of convenient and sustainable parking solutions.

“Contactless payments are now seen as an effective way for helping businesses to overcome the ill effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and are being advocated by banks and retail establishments as part of national campaigns on social media and radio.”

He concluded: “When the option is offered, it would be advisable to use contactless payments to reduce the risk of transmission.”

It is expected that proposals would be considered in the next four weeks with the implementation taking place within a six to eight week period to follow.

Chair of Ashton Town Team, Kevin Taylor said: “I think I speak on behalf of many businesses that the retaining of a cash option at car park machines will be a comfort for older shoppers and those who mistrust card payments, but also catering for those who wish to use the contactless options.

“Hopefully the new car park signage will be accompanied with the new town centre maps discussed with the council in 2019, along with outer rim signage that would also guide people to the different car park areas within the town centre which make it even more important these options are encompassed with the delivery of the new machines when they come online.”

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