Parking apps are falling short of drivers’ expectations, according to research from temporary car insurance experts Uswitch.
Though designed to simplify parking, drivers are being left frustrated by fines, the hassle of managing multiple apps, and a lack of transparent pricing.
47% of drivers claimed they had been fined incorrectly or by accident while using a parking app.
Specifically, 22% reported being unfairly fined once, while 25% said it has happened multiple times.
A further 6% admitted to receiving parking app-related fines but believe they were justified.
When asked about issues experienced with parking apps, more than a third (35%) of drivers said they had problems downloading and registering for multiple apps to park.
Nearly three in ten (29%) have faced app crashes or poor signal, while 27% have found the interfaces confusing or clunky.
Other common problems included hidden admin or service fees (19%), forgetting which app is needed for specific locations (19%), and unclear location codes or space selections (19%).
16% of drivers also reported payment issues, while a further 16% reported app-related delays or confusion when parking.
The primary reason drivers use parking apps was that they are required to by the car park (32%), with further 29% using the apps to help steer clear of penalties.
Saving time finding a parking space was the main driver for 17% of respondents, while 14% used the apps for convenience features such as paying remotely or extending parking time without returning to the car.
Other reasons included the ability to pay by card where machines only accept cash (6%), and a smaller percentage (2%) use the apps to secure the best price.
Drivers are set to benefit from simpler parking nationwide as the industry delivers a ‘one app fits all’ platform.
The British Parking Association (BPA) is leading the development and management of the National Parking Platform (NPP), working alongside companies like RingGo, JustPark, and PayByPhone.
The platform aims to allow drivers to pay for parking across all participating car parks using their preferred app, intending to end the need to download multiple apps and encouraging a more flexible, streamlined parking experience.
More than one in five (21%) drivers say the NPP will solve most of the problems drivers face with parking apps. Meanwhile, 51%, believe it will help with some of the issues.
Uswitch said 72% of drivers expected the platform to have a positive impact to some extent.
However, 14% of drivers were unsure how much difference it would make, 9% thought it would be unlikely to make much difference, 3% believed it would not help at all, and a further 3% worried it could make things worse.
When asked about the most important features for the NPP, 50% of drivers said upfront pricing with no hidden admin fees is a priority.
Timely alerts before parking time expires (33%) and clear local restrictions and time limits (33%) were also highly valued.
Real-time availability of parking spaces came next at 31%, followed by one-tap payment and the ability to extend parking time at 24%.
Other features like map views of nearby car parks (14%) and in-app customer support (10%) were less commonly selected.
