Replacement of the car parking machines

Feedback updated 29 Sep 2026

We asked

We need to replace the payment machines in our car parks.

To help deliver a service that works best for our community and procure suitable machines, we wanted to understand how you currently pay for parking and which payment options you would like to see available in the future.

You said

The results showed that our community values a range of payment methods.

While the most popular option was “contactless, card and app payments only” (37.49%), the results also showed significant support for payment methods that continue to include cash (58.78%).

 

  • 37.49% preferred machines offering contactless, card and app payments only (no cash payments).
     
  • 31.89% preferred machines offering cash, contactless and card payments only (no app payments).
     
  • 26.89% preferred machines offering cash, contactless, card and app payments.
     
  • 3.73% had no preference.

 

The findings highlight the importance of providing a service that offers a range of payment options to meet the needs of our diverse community and visitors to the town.

We did

We have reviewed the survey results alongside parking usage data and guidance from partner organisations.

This information will help shape the specification for our replacement parking machines and inform the procurement process, where the council will aim to provide a range of payment options including cash, card and app payments.

Closed 30 Apr 2026

Opened 11 Mar 2026

Contact

01664 502502

engagement@melton.gov.uk

Overview

We currently operate nine car parks with pay-and-display machines and an option to pay on the PayByPhone app.

We have not increased car parking charges this year. Instead we have allocated funding to replace all the existing pay‑and‑display machines across our nine car parks.

The current machines are unreliable, expensive to maintain, and no longer support modern payment technology. As part of this upgrade, we must decide which payment options should be available in the future.

Due to them currently holding cash, the machines are also targets for theft and vandalism, which leads to further downtime and expensive repairs.

Why your views matter

Before making any decisions, we want to understand how you currently use the car parks, how you prefer to pay for parking, and what matters most to you.

As with any choice, we must consider the costs and benefits of the available options, and your feedback will play an important role in guiding the selection of new machines for the future of car parking.

What happens next

Following the consultation, we will consider the feedback and expect to take a decision during the Spring/early Summer 2026. Once a decision has been made, we will need to go out to market to procure the new machines and agree timescales for implementation.

Areas

  • All Areas

Audiences

  • Anyone from any background

Interests

  • Car Parking