A new card payment scheme launched across 13 car parks and seven park and shop locations across Hounslow.

This means a bank card, or phone banking app, can now be used to pay for parking at these locations.

The new state-of-the-art terminals were designed specifically for Hounslow by METRIC and are the first-of-their-kind in the UK.

Slightly closer to the ground than standard machines, they are accessible for wheelchair users and allow users to select their language of choice with all the most commonly spoken languages in Hounslow available.

The machines allow users to enter their vehicle registration to validate their session and automatically give them the correct tariff for their individual vehicle – accommodating free on-street parking for Blue Badge holders, as well as 30 minutes' free parking sessions at park and shop locations, and lower charges for less-polluting vehicles.

Hounslow Council is trialing a new contactless payment parking machine across the borough (credit: Hounslow Council).

Cllr Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Recreation, Public Spaces and Parking, said: "I am pleased to say that today we have launched our new first-of-their-kind contactless parking payment terminals.

"The council took the decision to go cashless back in 2016 to prevent vandalism of machines holding cash.

"Whilst the vast majority of residents successfully adopted the move to PayByPhone, with approximately 35,000 parking sessions booked per week, it is absolutely vital that all our residents feel digitally included.

"That is why we have introduced the ability to pay by card on the street as well as by phone to support residents who were not able to use the app or phone.

"I am pleased that these new machines are both accessible to wheelchair users and available in all the languages most commonly spoken by our residents.

"Hounslow is a listening council and if we need to adapt policy to better serve our residents, we do it.

"I want to encourage users to share their feedback throughout the course of the trial, so we can look at this and the data we collect, to make an informed and resident-led decision about taking it forward."    

The six-month trial will add card payments to the existing PayByPhone parking app, and in-person payments using cash or a card, at more than 200 PayPoint retailers across the borough.

List of car parks and streets with the contactless terminal options  

Car parks

• Bath Road (Chiswick)   
• Bell Road (Hounslow)  
• Bethany Waye (Bedfont)  
• Bridge House (Feltham)  
• Boston Manor (Brentford)  
• Chiswick Common Road (Chiswick)  
• Inwood Road (Hounslow)  
• Kingsley Road (Hounslow)  
• Montague Road East (Hounslow)  
• Montague Road West (Hounslow)  
• Prince Regent (Hounslow)  
• Redlees (Isleworth)  
• Wisdom Court (Isleworth)  

On-street   

• Spring Grove Road (Isleworth) - between Villers Road and London Road   
• Strand on the Green (Chiswick) - outside 106-108   
• Turnham Green Terrace (Chiswick) - between Chiswick Common Road and Chiswick High Road, west side   
• Lion Way (Brentford) - between Half Acre and Market Place.    
• Thornbury Road (Isleworth) - between St Mary's Crescent and Jersey Road, both sides   
• Bath Road (Hounslow) - shopping area between Rosemary Avenue and Manor Avenue   
• South Street (Isleworth) – between Upper Square and Twickenham Road  

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