Drivers using council-owned car parks across Swindon will soon need to leave their coins at home, with plans underway to move all sites to a cashless system.
Swindon Borough Council has confirmed that all 20 car parks it owns and operates are being reviewed, with new machines and barriers installed where needed. The change is expected to be rolled out before the end of the year.
Under the new system, motorists will be able to pay using debit or credit cards, either contactless or chip and pin, as well as via mobile apps or phone payments. The aim is to create a simpler, more consistent experience across the Borough’s car parks, while also tackling ongoing issues with vandalism and theft.
Council officers say ticket machines that accept cash have been repeatedly targeted, particularly in town centre locations and at Lydiard Park. Removing cash from the system also cuts down on the cost and time involved in collecting and handling money.
Most council car parks will continue to operate on a pay-and-display basis, meaning drivers will still need to collect a ticket from the machine and display it in their vehicle. Barrier-controlled sites, including Brunel North, Fleming Way and Whalebridge, will continue to issue entry tickets which drivers use to exit after payment. Brunel West is already operating as pay-by-phone only while new equipment is installed.
The council has pointed out that alternatives remain available for those who prefer not to use card payments. Several non-council-owned car parks across the Borough continue to accept cash, and improvements to public transport and cycling infrastructure have expanded other ways to travel into the town centre.
Councillor Chris Watts, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said the current setup across Swindon’s car parks lacks consistency.
He said: “There’s a real mix of systems across the Borough at the moment, which can be confusing for drivers. We want to make parking as straightforward as possible while also reducing the damage and theft we’ve seen at ticket machines.
“Handling cash is costly and time-consuming, and some of our town centre car parks have already been card-only since the pandemic without any problems.”
Work to complete the move to cashless parking is expected by the end of August, although the council has said this could change if delays occur.
