I didn't agree to wanting to normalise the removal of parking meters and mandatory app usage just to park your car in a park or highsteet. I'm not sure where this motivation started.
(I have to be aware of the alternatives because I don't have a smartphone. It's not been an insurmountable problem yet.)
Some have extended to non-residential areas. One of the biggest parking apps says this:
Q: "I have no network coverage and need to park?"
A: "Move quickly to an area with better network coverage and complete your parking transaction with PayByPhone... Pay for your parking via other methods such as PayPoint or via the Pay & Display machine where available"
Reference: https://support.paybyphone.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360010478...
FYI 'Pay and Display' are the parking meters being removed, 'PayPoint' might be in SOME convenience stores/shops. But if you know London these can be 20-30 mins walk or none there are all at your parking destination. Good luck attending an appointment during work lunch times!
Tangentially - I’m always astonished at the lack of self-awareness of many municipal/utility service providers - they pretend like I’ve sought out their service and WANT to engage with them, when in fact I just want them to provide me the thing I need (or am obligated to do) with as little hassle as possible…
in my city part of the motivation is data collection; rates are adjusted block by block based on the last quarter's occupancy relative to targets, and among other things the app nudges people towards slightly less optimal parking spots that are either cheaper or more available.
An actual payment terminal requires electricity, a network connection and maintenance. And it has to be rugged to deal with the outdoors environment. If it takes cash, it also needs to be fairly rugged to prevent people from making off with the cash, and the cash receiving bits need a fair bit of maintenance as well.