Fremantle residents should no longer find themselves in the situation of being short of change when they need to pay for parking. A solution is now at hand for motorists to pay with their mobile phones. Western Australian company iPark Australia was awarded the contract to install the iPark cashless parking service in the City of Fremantle, which became operational last December.
Users register for the service by providing their mobile number, vehicle details and prepaying a modest credit (about $20). They are then issued with a unique barcoded windscreen sticker for their vehicle.
iPark Managing Director Adam Broadhurst said it is easy for motorists to register and use iPark on an ongoing basis.
“Accounts be can set up and recharged over the phone, on the Internet, through the City of Fremantle’s Service and Information Centre or at 2,500 authorised newsagencies and service stations,” he said. “People can use their credit cards or buy prepaid vouchers at these authorised agents.
“The iPark system reminds motorists 10 minutes before their parking expires, via an SMS alert, giving them an opportunity to top up their parking remotely with a reply SMS, which means they don’t have to return to their vehicle.”
City of Fremantle parking inspectors have a special device that reads the iPark bar code stickers on windscreens to verify that parking fees have been paid.
“An inspector can even send an SMS message to the user if the vehicle’s headlights have been left on or if it’s in a tow away or clearway zone,” Adam Broadhurst said. “iPark’s easy pay mobile phone parking solution is already being used in Subiaco and Bunbury and we have strong interest from other metropolitan Councils, as Local Governments and motorists are seeing the advantage of easy, secure cashless payments for their parking.”
All users of the system can visit the iPark web site at www.i-park.com.au to view their parking transaction history and obtain printouts for business parking claims.
Fremantle Mayor, Peter Tagliaferri, welcomed the iPark system, as it offered an alternative for motorists visiting the City of Fremantle, matched with convenience.
“This innovative technology will help motorists avoid parking fines, especially with the reminder notices that are sent out, and further enhance the service delivery from our parking inspectors,” he said.
For more information, contact City of Fremantle Information Technology Manager, John Pavy, on (08) 9432 9703 or iPark Australia Managing Director, Adam Broadhurst, on (08) 9213 3000.
