Pay for parking with "Ring Go" app

GihanM

I know many people have been using "Ring Go" to pay for parking for a while. I also have used it to pay for parking many times. But now they are removing all the coin-operated payment machines so that everyone can pay only with "Ring Go". I don't agree with that. There is a place where I usually park my car, now I can't pay with the machine there either, and I can only pay with "Ring Go". If I usually paid by putting in coins, I could put in 10 pence (get about 7- 9 minutes) and go to the nearby supermarket and buy 2 or 3 things and drive away. But today I had to pay through "Ring Go" to do the same job, costed me 49 pence just for 6 minutes. They say they charge a convenient fee of 20p. I think 20p is too much. And I wonger how has it been 49p for 6 minutes of parking even if they charge 20p convenient fee (in this way it has been 29p for 6 minutes of parking, which used to be 10p), I wonder what other people think about this. I don't think this is fair.

Mstty

Have asked for this to be moved to the suitable forum.

MattMattMattUK

GihanM said:

I know many people have been using "Ring Go" to pay for parking for a while. I also have used it to pay for parking many times. But now they are removing all the coin-operated payment machines so that everyone can pay only with "Ring Go". I don't agree with that. There is a place where I usually park my car, now I can't pay with the machine there either, and I can only pay with "Ring Go". If I usually paid by putting in coins, I could put in 10 pence (get about 7- 9 minutes) and go to the nearby supermarket and buy 2 or 3 things and drive away. But today I had to pay through "Ring Go" to do the same job, costed me 49 pence just for 6 minutes. They say they charge a convenient fee of 20p. I think 20p is too much. And I wonger how has it been 49p for 6 minutes of parking even if they charge 20p convenient fee (in this way it has been 29p for 6 minutes of parking, which used to be 10p), I wonder what other people think about this. I don't think this is fair.

I cannot get worked up over this.  The reality is the cost of operating coin payment machines is huge, most are loss making and even just operating card payment machines in car parks can often at best break even due to costs of having a physical machine, vandalism and damage to machines etc. If you factor in the 10p cost that duration of stay was likely almost always loss making to the car park operator I can see why they needed a different system.

RingGo whilst it nominally raises the price 20p likely reduces the cost to the operator significantly, from what my local council has said car parks with machines break even on operating the machines, contributing nothing to upkeep of the rest of the car park, they make a small profit on the RingGo transactions which allow them to maintain the car parks. Is it "fair" that those wishing to pay with chunks of metal should be subsidised by those who pay via app?

oldernonethewiser

Do you have to use an app or is there a number you can call and pay?

MattMattMattUK

oldernonethewiser said:

Do you have to use an app or is there a number you can call and pay?

For RingGo you have to use the app.

oldernonethewiser

MattMattMattUK said:

oldernonethewiser said:

Do you have to use an app or is there a number you can call and pay?

For RingGo you have to use the app.

Cheers.

I have seen places offer telephone numbers as well but I suppose these go directly to the council/operator rather than through Ringo.

MattMattMattUK

oldernonethewiser said:

MattMattMattUK said:

oldernonethewiser said:

Do you have to use an app or is there a number you can call and pay?

For RingGo you have to use the app.

Cheers.

I have seen places offer telephone numbers as well but I suppose these go directly to the council/operator rather than through Ringo.

Most will go to a sub-contractor, usually operating an automated system, they generally charge the carpark operator far more in fees than RingGo. 

dunstonh

Ringgo is great.   Two of our cars have the ringo app and when you turn the engine off in a car park that uses ringgo, it comes up on the console screen telling you and you can select your time and pay from the car.    You can also do similar if you use android auto or apple carplay.  Although, I think you have to enter the app to pay via the car screen with them.

oldernonethewiser

dunstonh said:

Ringgo is great.   Two of our cars have the ringo app and when you turn the engine off in a car park that uses ringgo, it comes up on the console screen telling you and you can select your time and pay from the car.    You can also do similar if you use android auto or apple carplay.  Although, I think you have to enter the app to pay via the car screen with them.

Ooh! That's clever

Apodemus

dunstonh said:

Ringgo is great.   

Agreed, but worth making sure that the "notifications" check-boxes are turned off on the app, if you don't want unneccessary additional charges.

saker75

I agree. It requires you to have a compatible device and data / reception. And there are multiple apps for different providers - I don't like having apps on my phone and resent having to download them for such basic tasks.