Perth car parks card issue is set to be resolved

Machines at South Inch and Canal Street set to be back in business

Drivers in Perth could be able to pay by card at two city centre car parks once more in three weeks, Perth and Kinross Council has confirmed.

Card payment machines at both South Inch and the multi-storey Canal Street car park have been out of order since January 3.

For the past six weeks, some motorists caught without any cash have faced almost a mile-round trek to the nearest cashpoint.

But an end to saga could finally be in sight.

The nearest ATM to the well-used South Inch car park is 0.4 miles away at South Street’s Tesco Metro - also the nearest facility for cashless motorists at Canal Street.

Despite the trend toward a cashless society, city centre councillor Andrew Parrott is encouraging the Perthshire public never to be without some loose change in their pockets.

The deputy SNP leader said: “It is very frustrating that it is taking so long to get these machines to accept cards again and I’m not sure we have any date for the restoration of full service.

“The machines do still take coins.

“I know some folk say ‘I no longer carry cash’, but it is hardly a hardship in my book to make sure that you have coins available if need be.”

The issue is believed to be due to a stand-off between the private firm that operates car park card payments and PKC.

The laminated sign on the payment machine reads: “Due to circumstances out of our control we are unable to process debit/credit card payments in this car park now and the foreseeable future.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience caused and would urge you to follow the Perth and Kinross Council social media sources for further updates.”

A spokesman for PKC told the PA the council would be moving to a new supplier but were “three weeks away from the issue being fully resolved.”