New cashless paid parking for Athlone next week

Cashless parking payments will come into operation in Athlone next week.

It follows Westmeath County Council's move to introduce Parking Tag, a popular cashless mobile parking payments system. Operated by payments provider Payzone, Westmeath has become the 15th local authority across Ireland to introduce the service which has over 260,000 registered motorists.

Recent research by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) found that due to Covid-19 there has been increased emphasis on contact-free and online payments with cash withdrawals down 56%. Consumers have made the shift from using cash to safer, more hygienic solutions such as card, contactless and online payments.

By using Parking Tag, the people of Athlone and Mullingar don’t need to worry about searching for change for the meter, they can safely pay for their parking through the mobile app, website, by SMS or by phone.

With options for registered accounts or once-off payments for those who park less frequently, there simply is no easier way to park and pay. Cashless parking was once a convenience for motorists, now it is a necessity.

Speaking on behalf of Westmeath County Council, Cathaoirleach Clr. Ken Glynn said: “We very much welcome the arrival of Parking Tag in Westmeath. This new service is very convenient for motorists and will deliver efficiencies to the Municipal Districts.”

With mobile payments technology at your fingertips, motorists now have a convenient, easy way to pay which the council hopes will encourage more people to park in town, with a positive knock on effect for local businesses.

Jim Deignan, CEO, Payzone Ireland, said: “Making life easier for the consumer is at the core of what we do at Payzone. By introducing an innovative and hassle-free way to pay for parking, Payzone is attracting and encouraging increasing numbers of users to avail of the service in designated local authority areas, driving people back into town centres and contributing to a more vibrant local community.”

Motorists can register by visiting parkingtag.ie or by downloading the mobile app.

Once registered, customers can park immediately and also take advantage of day rate parking, where available. For those who prefer to park without registering for an account, they can choose the option to ‘Park Now’ on the website and pay with a debit or credit card.

The SMS and phone options also allow for once-off payment to a debit or credit card. Parking Tag offers a Charge to Mobile service which allows Three and Vodafone customers charge their parking to their mobile phone bill or credit. Motorists can avail of an optional SMS reminder which means no running back to the meter, they can park again from wherever they are.

Full instructions are available at parkingtag.ie and parking zones can be easily identified by two to five letters which are visible on local signage in each area. All transactions are processed in real time which gives parking enforcers visibility of the payment made.