Drivers face major headaches paying for parking through apps
October 10, 2025 by Siobhan Doyle
Car changing is a big deal
73% of drivers encounter issues paying for parking through smartphone apps, with many still favouring cards or cash for convenience and reliability.
Parking apps are meant to offer convenience, but new RAC research reveals that most UK drivers find them frustrating.
The study found that 73% of drivers who used a mobile app to pay for parking in the past 12 months experienced difficulties. The biggest issues were poor mobile signal (70%), apps not recognising the car park (36%), and apps crashing (35%).
Other problems included apps not accepting bank cards (24%) and users struggling to figure out how to use them (13%), rising to 26% among those aged 75 and over.
Despite the growth of mobile payment options, most drivers still favour more traditional methods. Cards and Apple Pay/Google Pay are preferred by 46% of drivers, cash by 33%, and mobile apps by 30%. Just 6% opt for QR code payments, which experts warn can leave drivers vulnerable to fraud.
Many drivers also carry multiple parking apps: 64% have at least two, 36% have three, and 15% have four or more. This patchwork can make parking stressful and confusing.
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The government hopes to simplify things with its new National Parking Platform, allowing drivers to use a single app across multiple councils and private operators. Currently, 10 local authorities, including Manchester, Liverpool, and Coventry, have joined, with more expected soon.
RAC鈥檚 senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said: 鈥淧arking should be simple, but different apps, multiple accounts, and saved card details make it unnecessarily complicated. The National Parking Platform should help, provided enough councils and operators sign up.鈥
To avoid parking hassles, here are a few things you could do:
- Always use the latest version of each parking app. Updates often fix bugs, improve payment reliability, and ensure compatibility with your phone鈥檚 operating system.
- Carry an alternative payment method such as cash or a bank card.
- Collect evidence, such as screenshots, if an app fails, especially in ANPR-equipped car parks.
- Poor mobile signal is the biggest cause of app issues. If possible, check coverage in advance or move to a spot with better reception before paying.
- Ensure the app recognises the correct car park and you enter your registration details accurately. A small typo can mean a failed payment.
- Watch out for QR code payments that can be vulnerable to fraud (鈥渜uishing鈥).
With councils in England alone recording a 拢1.2bn surplus from parking in 2024-25, and private operators issuing 14.4 million tickets in a year, the stakes are high for drivers and operators alike.
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