RingGo Parking System Sparks Debate Over Ageism

RingGo is used by the local council allowing motorists to pay for their stays without using cash or a card at a parking machine.

00:49 02 May 2022

Residents who do not own a smartphone or are still wary about using their credit card information on apps have raised their frustration over the continued rollout of the pay-via-mobile parking service at Seasalter car park. 

 

Their frustration has now reached the national stage and has sparked debate where Canterbury City Council was branded "ageist" after visitors to an off-read stretch in Seasalter can only pay over the phone or via an app. An online poll showed that 87per cent of KentOnline readers agree that all car parks should still have a cash option. 

 

One disgruntled Seasalter swimmer Sheila Miller said: "You need to have a smartphone and that's a real difficulty for some elderly people who choose not to have a smartphone

 

"People are going to need their long-sighted glasses to see the sign, they're going to need reading glasses to see their phone.

 

"Arthritic fingers in the cold might not be able to key in the number."

 

In contrast, Brian Coleman, formerly of Barnet council, called on the elderly to keep up with the times.

 

"Frankly, these older folk are driving a car which can be a very dangerous piece of machinery," he said on the Radio 2 show.

 

"Surely they can operate an app on a mobile phone.

 

"Life moves on, we cannot go back. If you don't sign up you're sadly left behind.

 

"I'm happy to come down to Kent to run a session on how to download the app onto people's phones. It makes life simple."