City of Darwin is introducing a number of changes to parking in the Darwin city centre, including the upcoming installation of new meters that will have pay-by-plate and credit card payment functionality.
Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said the changes would start rolling out from Monday 1 July and would make paying for parking in the city centre more streamlined.
“Meters in the city centre will be temporarily unavailable as we transition to new parking technology, with replacement meters coming soon that will enhance parking in the city centre,” Mr Vatskalis said.
“During this transition period, people will be unable to pay by cash or card directly at the meter but can still pay using the PayStay app, through their account on the PayStay website, by scanning QR codes displayed on the existing meters, or by calling 1300 322 111.
“The PayStay app has also recently been upgraded to make it easier to stop, extend or start your parking sessions from anywhere, and now includes information about availability of parking in your area.
“As it is the peak tourist season in Darwin, it is great to see that people can now validate their parking as a guest without the need to set up an account; you just need to scan one of the QR codes that will be displayed on the existing meters.
“When the new meters are installed, people will be able to pay-by-plate, using their registration plate details to activate a parking session, and pay with a credit or debit card either online, through the PayStay app or directly at the meter.
“However, the new meters will not take cash, meaning the parking system will be completely cashless,” he said.
These changes are being introduced after City of Darwin undertook an extensive parking review, which found that the technology was outdated and inconvenient for those who do not carry cash or for visitors to the city.
PayStay provides parking services across Darwin, the Darwin Waterfront Precinct and Palmerston, creating a seamless experience across the Greater Darwin region.
