Aberdeen City Council has implemented new digital ways to pay for parking across the city.
From Monday, a new virtual (digital) parking permit system has been introduced, allowing the Council to begin the phasing out paper permits.
This means that residents and businesses who need a permit will no longer receive paper permits to display in their vehicles. Instead, permits will be virtual and are linked to vehicle registrations.
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “This is a significant improvement as the Council continues to transform public services.
“These changes will allow the Council to offer greater convenience to residents and visitors alike by ensuring that they can easily manage their parking needs in a way that suits them best. The changes also reduce reliance on paper as residents and businesses will no longer need to display a paper parking ticket or permit in their vehicle window.”
This innovative change aims to enhance convenience and promote sustainability. The change effects all controlled parking zones in the city, eliminating the need for paper forms and allowing residents to manage their own permits at home or on the go.
Those with a paper parking permit should still display it in their vehicle’s window, until the expiry date.
Those without online access can use self-serve computers in Marischal College, a local library or can ask a trusted person such as a family member or friend to apply for a virtual permit on their behalf. Video guides have been created and are available online to support using the new system.
It is anticipated that all paper permits will be replaced by the virtual permits by the end of Summer 2025.
The project will also include an investment in 100 new virtual parking meters and the removal of old meters that have exceeded their serviceable life.
The new meters will allow users to continue to pay in cash, providing a virtual (digital) parking ticket that is assigned to the vehicle registration removing the need to display a ticket on the vehicle.
These new meters will mostly be placed within the City Centre and parking areas near to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and will increase reliability, with automatic reporting of faults and less maintenance work required.
Drivers will also have a greater selection of how they pay for parking. From August 2024, both PayByPhone and RingGo cashless parking services will be available for use in the city.
In addition, drivers can choose to pay for their parking at over 100 PayPoint locations in Aberdeen accepting cash.
City Wardens will be able to identify virtual permits, cashless parking and virtual parking meter tickets using a registration number plate scanner and will also have access to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) vehicles to help identify illegal parking.
Later this year City Wardens will be deployed on electric bikes so they can respond to any vehicle detected by ANPR as being illegally parked.
This will enable City Wardens to focus on other issues which affect the city, including antisocial behaviour, littering, fly tipping and dog fouling.
The investment in digitising parking is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to improving the parking experience across the city.
For more information and to apply for a virtual permit, visit: www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/payforparking