DORSET Council has apologised to drivers as ongoing disruptions to ticket machines in car parks won’t be fixed for “several weeks”.

Drivers are being asked to use cashless payments after ticket machines across the county began rejecting cash.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: “We’re sorry for this disruption. This is very much a temporary measure and we are working hard to reinstate cash payments, which we know are the preferred option for many of our residents.

“Please be prepared to use a cashless method of payment while we work through this issue, it’s going to take several weeks to get cash payments operating again.”

The council says if a machine is unable to accept cash payment, drivers will still need to pay for parking via a cashless method.

It is hoped that cash payments will be available again in all car parks by early December.

There are four cashless options to choose from:

  • Downloading the Just Park app to your smartphone
  • Paying by mobile phone, using details found on the side of the payment machine
  • For those without a smartphone, you can register with JustPark online at home and pay by SMS (text message) in the car park
  • Some car park payment machines offer debit/credit card payment, this can be checked in advance online at dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/parking