Parking meters to be axed in autumn

Parking meters and pay and display machines are to be removed from a swathe of central London.

Westminster council has agreed to remove all its cash parking machines by next year after running a successful trial of pay-by-phone parking.

It will begin scrapping the machines in October and intends to have got rid of all traditional parking payment methods by the end of next year.

The cashless parking scheme was trialled by a number of London boroughs and its popularity means Westminster's lead may now be followed by other councils.

Under the scheme, drivers make a payment by text when they park. Wardens then check using hand-held computers.

Westminster has been losing more than £100,000 a week this year through thefts from parking meters.

Councillor Brian Connell said: "Based on the evidence we have heard, there are compelling customer benefits - as well as a strong financial case - for the council to introduce a cashless parking strategy city-wide and remove all parking meters within 18 months."