Whanganui District Council introduces ParkMate parking app at pay and display areas

Whanganui District Council compliance operations manager Warrick Zander (left) and lead parking services officer Sandra Barnes say the ParkMate app is a popular alternative to coins.

Whanganui's parking meters are catching up with other parts of the country with the introduction of the ParkMate parking app.

The free app was introduced in Whanganui District Council pay and display parking areas in November and allows people to pay for parking with their credit or debit card.

Compliance operations manager Warrick Zander said the app was well-recognised throughout New Zealand.

"Historically, the only payment method in Whanganui has been coins, so it's good to be able to be more customer-friendly and offer an alternative method of payment for parking in our city," Zander said.

"At the same time, it's also excellent for people visiting Whanganui who are used to this technology and don't normally carry coins."

Lead parking services officer Sandra Barnes said the ParkMate app was an easy, stress-free method of paying for parking and was being used by people who regularly parked in the pay and display areas.

The app is free to download at Google Play or the App Store. Once registered, users can pay for parking with a credit or debit card. There is a small transaction fee.

ParkMate areas include all central city pay and display zones. Charges at the sites apply from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

• Information about ParkMate is displayed on all pay and display meters. Visit www.parkmate.co.nz for more details.