Why it matters: Ipserv, the commercial arm of Ipswich Borough Council, has been issuing penalty charges to drivers unable to pay at Ipswich's largest Waterfront car park, where machines have been malfunctioning intermittently since late January.
The details: The payment terminals had been experiencing problems throughout January, with all machines reported out of service on 31 January.
What they said: An Ipserv spokesperson previously stated: "Unfortunately, there is an intermittent issue with the machine at Duke Street Car Park (21851), which our engineers are actively investigating.
"While we work to resolve the problem, we kindly ask customers to use the RingGo app for payment or call RingGo Customer Services on 020 3046 0010 for assistance."
Yes, but: Many visitors are unable to pay via the RingGo app, and those who typically tap to pay with their smartphones often do not carry payment cards with them, making it impossible to pay by telephone.
A scenario seemingly overlooked by Ipserv.
What they're saying now: We approached Ipserv for comment and asked them if they would be proactively reaching out to users issued with fines despite not being able to pay. They issued the following response:
“We acknowledge that there were intermittent technical difficulties with the payment machines on the 31st January 2025. However, we wish to stress that alternative payment methods were available, users could pay via a mobile app or by contacting RingGo’s customer service on the number provided on the side of the payment machine. While we regret any inconvenience caused, these options were in place to ensure customers had a means to pay.
"The availability of alternative options of payment means that simply citing the technical issue will not, on its own, automatically cancel a parking charge notice. As an approved contractor with the British Parking Association, we are committed to correcting any errors in a fair and timely manner and will review any appeals in accordance with the recognised code of conduct.”
The bottom line: Despite publicly acknowledging these "machine issues", the council-owned company has proceeded to issue £100 fines to motorists who had no means of paying. Affected motorists are encouraged to appeal the decision.
