Backlash against parking meter change: Calls to ban 'cashless' payments grow
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The debate over cashless transactions has flared up again in Australia, this time over a contentious move to update parking meters in North Sydney to reject cash payments.
This shift towards digital-only transactions has sparked a fiery discussion among residents, with some calling for an immediate ban on such cashless systems.
A North Sydney woman's online rant about the newly updated parking meters, which exclusively accept digital payments, has become the catalyst for a broader conversation about the implications of a cashless society.
‘New parking meters in North Sydney appear NOT to take cash. As such if we are to park in the North Sydney area, we need our mobile phone as they do not appear to take cards either,’ she said.
'I was under the impression that cash was still a currency in Australia, and as North Sydney is part of Australia, cash should be accepted,'
'It is my belief that this move is illegal and these meters should be removed immediately. Another issue is that they are difficult to identify - they look more like ash trays than parking meters.'
The transition to cashless parking meters is not illegal, as digital payment is considered a legitimate form of payment.
However, the issue's legality needs to address the concerns of those who feel marginalised by the change.
The North Sydney Council's decision to go cashless was based on statistics showing that only one in 26 visitors used cash to pay for parking.
‘Over the past year, the number of people paying with coins for parking has lowered to less than 4 per cent,’ they said.
‘In addition, malfunctions in our existing parking meters occur primarily due to coin-box vandalism and jams. The removal of coin payments ensures our parking meters' reliability long-term as it decreases these ongoing maintenance costs.’
Some locals have defended the cashless system, highlighting the convenience of paying from a mobile phone and avoiding parking fines.
‘This system allows you to pay as you park, and you can control the time from your phone - it eliminates parking fines where you are frantically running to get back to your car because you didn't put enough 50c coins in,’ one commented.
‘You're mad that you have to have your mobile phone on you to pay for parking, but you took a photo of this parking meter with your mobile phone,’ another said.
The requirement to use a mobile phone to pay for parking assumes that everyone has a smartphone and the knowledge to use it, which is only sometimes the case.
‘Looks like smart phones are now also mandatory to drive a car and use a meter. What if you duck out without your phone? I'm personally okay with not accepting cash, but at least make it tap and go,’ one woman said.
One resident commented, 'Having to download an app to use a parking meter is ridiculous. 'Older folks might not have smartphones or know how to scan a QR code.'
In other news, a parking inspector in Sydney's Double Bay clashed with a young mother who alleged physical assault.
Video of the incident, shared on social media, has sparked a debate about who was at fault. Read more here.
Have you encountered difficulties with cashless systems? Is the move towards digital-only payments excluding certain groups of people? Let us know in the comments below.
This shift towards digital-only transactions has sparked a fiery discussion among residents, with some calling for an immediate ban on such cashless systems.
A North Sydney woman's online rant about the newly updated parking meters, which exclusively accept digital payments, has become the catalyst for a broader conversation about the implications of a cashless society.
‘New parking meters in North Sydney appear NOT to take cash. As such if we are to park in the North Sydney area, we need our mobile phone as they do not appear to take cards either,’ she said.
North Sydney resident is outraged over parking meters that only accept digital payments, calling for cash acceptance to be mandatory. Credit: Facebook
'I was under the impression that cash was still a currency in Australia, and as North Sydney is part of Australia, cash should be accepted,'
'It is my belief that this move is illegal and these meters should be removed immediately. Another issue is that they are difficult to identify - they look more like ash trays than parking meters.'
The transition to cashless parking meters is not illegal, as digital payment is considered a legitimate form of payment.
However, the issue's legality needs to address the concerns of those who feel marginalised by the change.
The North Sydney Council's decision to go cashless was based on statistics showing that only one in 26 visitors used cash to pay for parking.
‘Over the past year, the number of people paying with coins for parking has lowered to less than 4 per cent,’ they said.
‘In addition, malfunctions in our existing parking meters occur primarily due to coin-box vandalism and jams. The removal of coin payments ensures our parking meters' reliability long-term as it decreases these ongoing maintenance costs.’
Some locals have defended the cashless system, highlighting the convenience of paying from a mobile phone and avoiding parking fines.
‘This system allows you to pay as you park, and you can control the time from your phone - it eliminates parking fines where you are frantically running to get back to your car because you didn't put enough 50c coins in,’ one commented.
‘You're mad that you have to have your mobile phone on you to pay for parking, but you took a photo of this parking meter with your mobile phone,’ another said.
The requirement to use a mobile phone to pay for parking assumes that everyone has a smartphone and the knowledge to use it, which is only sometimes the case.
‘Looks like smart phones are now also mandatory to drive a car and use a meter. What if you duck out without your phone? I'm personally okay with not accepting cash, but at least make it tap and go,’ one woman said.
One resident commented, 'Having to download an app to use a parking meter is ridiculous. 'Older folks might not have smartphones or know how to scan a QR code.'
In other news, a parking inspector in Sydney's Double Bay clashed with a young mother who alleged physical assault.
Video of the incident, shared on social media, has sparked a debate about who was at fault. Read more here.
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