What is Pay and Display Parking?

We provide a number of different parking solutions suitable for all manner of clients, but one of the most popular car park management options we routinely provide is pay and display parking. If you’re looking for a way to manage your car park and are looking into pay and display, but you are unsure if it’s the right option, we’ve put together a handy guide detailing everything you need to know about this type of parking solution.

The term ‘pay and display’ will be a familiar one to most motorists. When a car park is pay and display, it means motorists need to pay to park there and display a ticket on the dashboard of their car.

How Does Pay and Display Work?

Pay and display car parks are generally very easy to use. There are no barriers at the entrance or exit of the car park. Motorists pull in and park their cars. They will then need to walk to a ticket machine located in the car park. The ticket should be paid for at the start of the session and will require motorists to estimate the amount of time they will be parked for.

It’s common for parking under 30 minutes to be free, but this isn’t always the case. Even if a motorist chooses to park for 30 minutes, it’s normal for them to be required to print off a ticket. Parking is generally done in increments, ranging from two hours through to 24 hours and beyond in the case of long-stay car parks.

Every ticket will be printed with a timestamp showing the time the ticket is valid until. Parking wardens do routine scans of the car park and check the tickets. If a ticket has expired or a car doesn’t have one, a clamp or a fine could be imposed.

Ticketless Pay and Display

Whilst the premise of pay and display is generally centred around paying for a ticket and displaying one, more and more pay and display car parks are beginning to accept ticketless payments. This gives motorists the option to go onto a website or use an app, enter their registration number and pay for their ticket online.

The system is essentially the same in the sense that a time frame will need to be selected and paid for upfront. Ticket wardens will be able to look up the registration plate and see how long the car has left on its ticket, so just because there isn’t a physical time stamp, parking rules can still be enforced.

Ticketless and mobile pay and display are growing in popularity because it is oftentimes more convenient for both motorists and car park providers alike. There’s no need to go searching for cash, and motorists can buy a new ticket without having to return back to the car park if their stay unexpectedly overruns.

Whilst it’s a popular option, it’s a good idea to still have cash options for those who carry cash or who don’t have a mobile device on them. That’s why our machines include both payment options.

Installing Pay and Display

If you decide to go with a pay and display approach for your car park management, the first step will be to decide how much you’re going to charge motorists. This is up to you, but it’s important to keep prices fair to keep people coming back to your car park. Charging £5 for one hour might be too excessive, for example. The amount you decide to pay will also depend on your industry. For example, if you’re a healthcare provider and people routinely spend more than an hour in your car park, factor this in.

Once you’ve decided on your parking rates, we will then begin the process of installing signs in your car park. The signs will include the name of the car park, the parking rates and clear, readable rules for motorists to follow.

Why Choose Countrywide Parking for Pay and Display?

Our pay and display parking meters have integrated pay by phone technology, so the signs we install in your car park will include a reference number for motorists to enter into a parking app or website so that they can pay for their parking effectively.

For physical tickets, our machines accept both cash and card, and our machines also have ANPR integration, too. When you choose us to manage your pay and display car park, we will install everything needed for you to get started. We will install the equipment and signage for you, provide a qualified warden to manage the car park, and we will undertake essential maintenance, ticket refills and cash collections.

We can organise a car park survey whereby we will visit your site, listen to your concerns and determine the best solution for you. Whilst pay and display is simple on the surface, we can tailor a solution to best suit you.

We have worked with a wide range of clients, including: