Ipswich motorists will no longer have to pay-and-display for on-street parking as council prepares to replace 112 legacy parking meters in the city centre with 90 brand new smart meters.
Finance and Governance Committee Chair Councillor Paul Tully said the current parking meters are 14 years old and approaching end-of-useful-life, and will be replaced by newer, easier-to-use technology.
“The new smart parking meters will allow residents to pay using their number plate as reference, removing the need to leave a paper ticket on their dashboard,” Cr Tully said.
“Payment types will vary across the parking meter network and will allow users the flexibility to pay by credit or debit card, while some machines will accept cash.
“While payment by app will not form part of the initial installation, it will be considered and investigated by council in the near future.
“These machines will provide a more streamlined experience for customers, reduce maintenance requirements, and allow real-time integration with council’s digital enforcement systems.
“Council’s iGO Intelligent Transport Systems Strategy identified the adoption of smart parking technologies as a key step in improving transport network efficiency and enhancing user experience.”
The upgrade will include removal of 112 existing parking meters throughout the city centre, and the installation of 90 new pay‑by‑plate parking meters, followed by the full end-to-end management of the new pay-by-plate system.
“The successful tenderer offers full integration with council’s Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) enforcement vehicle, enabling real time identification of overstays and improving council’s parking enforcement,” Cr Tully said.
“I’m pleased that residents will soon be able to park more easily on Ipswich streets.”
The $2.51 million contract is expected to be signed in the coming weeks and is for a period of up to five years and three months.
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