NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 22/07/2009 00:00 -
Updated: 10/08/2009 15:42
Councillors have raised concerns about 'hidden charges' in the new pay by phone parking system.
Opposition party leaders have said they were not aware that a service charge must be paid to use the scheme.
Conservative party leader Cllr Andrew Geary said: "There shouldn't be any hidden costs, it should be made clear to the public before they use it." More than 2,000 drivers have signed up to the scheme.
The charge, payable every time youuse the system, is 10p if the parking time purchased is under £2 and 20p if over.
There is also a 10p charge for a reminder text message to say your time is about to run out.
Cllr Norman Miles, leader of the Labour party, said: "I cannot see why there are two levels of charges when you are receiving the same service."
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrat-run council said the service charges go to the software supplier, Verrus, which operates the system.
He said: "This is the way all mobile phone systems work as only the people using them actually pay for the service.
"To offer it free would have involved the council procuring software at a cost that all council taxpayers or parkers would have met.
"The telephone system does tell you there is a service charge."
Opposition party leaders have said they were not aware that a service charge must be paid to use the scheme.
Conservative party leader Cllr Andrew Geary said: "There shouldn't be any hidden costs, it should be made clear to the public before they use it." More than 2,000 drivers have signed up to the scheme.
The charge, payable every time youuse the system, is 10p if the parking time purchased is under £2 and 20p if over.
There is also a 10p charge for a reminder text message to say your time is about to run out.
Cllr Norman Miles, leader of the Labour party, said: "I cannot see why there are two levels of charges when you are receiving the same service."
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrat-run council said the service charges go to the software supplier, Verrus, which operates the system.
He said: "This is the way all mobile phone systems work as only the people using them actually pay for the service.
"To offer it free would have involved the council procuring software at a cost that all council taxpayers or parkers would have met.
"The telephone system does tell you there is a service charge."
