Seamless parking payment makes for better journeys

The National Parking Platform’s Sarah Randall welcomes the government’s Better Connected integrated transport strategy

The Department for Transport’s new integrated transport strategy envisages contactless tap-and-go travel becoming the norm across buses, trains, and trams in cities and towns across England. Local leaders will be given the tools to replicate joined-up systems currently in place in areas like Liverpool, London and Nottingham.

Drivers will benefit from the expansion of the National Parking Platform, allowing them to use any parking app across participating car parks, ending the frustrating experience of having to download a different app each time.  

We welcome the publication of the Department for Transport’s Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport which promotes seamless journeys for users.

The strategy highlights the government’s continued support for the roll-out of the National Parking Platform (NPP) across England, aiming to make parking payments simpler and more consistent for drivers. 

It reinforces that motorists can use their preferred app across multiple locations, removing the need to download different apps in different areas, while positioning the NPP as government-backed digital infrastructure operating in the public interest. 

The strategy also recognises future opportunities to integrate parking with wider transport systems, including tolling and rail, and encourages local authorities to consider how the platform can support their wider transport plans.

This demonstrates the important the important role the NPP is playing in simplifying parking for drivers, giving them the freedom to use the app they already know and trust, while supporting a more joined-up, user-focused transport system.

The NPP has been designed to operate in the public interest – bringing together local authorities, service providers, and the wider sector to deliver a seamless and inclusive parking experience.?It is encouraging to see the government recognise the potential of the platform, from supporting innovation and new market entrants, to enabling better integration across transport modes.

We will work collaboratively with local authorities across the United Kingdom to support adoption and deliver real benefits for drivers and communities.

Sarah Randall is chief executive of the National Parking Platform