Cash payments withdrawn from city council car parks
Lancaster City Council is to temporarily remove cash payments from most of its car parks following a string of thefts and damage to its pay and display machines.
One of the damaged pay and display machines
Ten machines have been damaged in car parks across Lancaster and Morecambe since the end of August, with four of these coming in just the last week. On each occasion the cash boxes attached to the machines have been cut open and the coins removed.
It’s estimated that the cost of replacing the machines, along with the theft of the coins inside the machines, brings the total loss to the taxpayer to around £40,000.
To prevent any more machines being damaged while the police investigate the thefts, the council has taken the decision to remove the coin boxes from all of its machines except at St Nics in Lancaster, which is locked overnight.
Customers are instead being asked to pay by card or via the RingGo system.
Councillor Jean Parr, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and placemaking, said: “We know that this decision will be disappointing for those who like to pay by cash, but we have no other option while a gang of thieves is actively targeting our car parks. Each time a machine is damaged there’s a cost to replace it.
“Hopefully the police will be able to catch the culprits and we will be able to resume normal service as soon as possible.
“In the meantime, we’d ask people to be patient and if anyone has any information about who may be responsible, please contact the police.”
Motorists are reminded that paying for parking at all the councils pay & display car parks is still required and card payments and RingGo is still available.
Non-payment of parking fees may result in a penalty charge notice being issued.
Last updated: 09 October 2024