Drivers in Nelson will soon be able to pay their parking meters with a phone app.
Throughout February, the City of Nelson will place a new decal on each meter, each with its own number. Drivers will enter that number into the app, called PayByPhone, along with their desired parking duration and their credit-card information.
Payment with coins will still be an option, at the same meter rate.
Users will be warned on the app when their meter is about to expire, and they can use the app to extend their parking time. For a fee, this warning can be sent to drivers as a text message.
The app has a minimum of one-hour parking duration. People wishing to park for shorter periods will need to use coins.
Aimee Mooney, the city's deputy chief financial officer who spoke about the system at Nelson City Council's Feb. 4 meeting, said this initiative follows the introduction of the app in the parkade last year. The change eliminated monthly rates and cash payment in favour of first-come-first-served parking only with the app.
She said parkade usage has slowly increased since then.
Another recent change is the increased meter rates on downtown streets last year. Mooney said there have been fewer parking tickets issued since the increase, presumably because the higher cost makes people more aware of their meter status.
