Sydney's car park meters may be headed for extinction
First it was the clink of coins, then came the ease of tap and go.
Now the way Sydney motorists pay for parking across the city could be on the brink of its next major tech upgrade, with the traditional car park meter heading for extinction.
The NSW state government wants residents to pay for parking with an app, Park'n'Pay, according to a letter Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello will send to mayors across Sydney this week. The letter has been obtained by 9News.com.au.
An old fashioned car park meter in Sydney in 1983. Fairfax Media
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In the letter, Mr Dominello said uptake of the app across Sydney's LGAs will reduce traffic congestion by flagging free car park spots, and boost all-round efficiency in Australia's most populous city.
In NSW, there are roughly 18 to 20 million parking transactions every year involving physical meters, according to Department of Customer Service data.
"That's a lot of touch points, Mr Dominello writes.
"On top of this, traffic congestion costs our economy $6 billion, the parking experience for our citizens is inconsistent and there is low uptake of the available digital solutions.
"As we open up and get NSW moving again, it is essential that we leverage technology to make life easier and safer for our citizens and support local business growth."
Mr Dominello goes on to urge Sydney's mayors to ditch the old-fashioned meters for a contactless digital solution which is capable of sharing real-time parking availability in some car park and street parking settings.
Users of the app will be able to pay and top up without any physical interaction with the meter.
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A parking inspector issues a ticket to a car parked on Macquarie Street in Sydney's CBD. SMH / Wade Laube
The price will be the same as traditional meter rates, according to Mr Dominello's letter.
Park'nPay is currently available in 23 suburbs in Sydney and NSW, including Liverpool, Mosman, Manly, The Rocks and Gosford.
The Department of Customer Service claims the app will reduce the number of parking tickets issued.
9News.com.au has contacted Department of Customer Service for comment.
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