Digital parking permits in Oxford spark concerns they will lead to unfair fines, especially for elderly residents.
Almost 3,000 people signed a petition against this. They think it hurts older or less tech-savvy folks. People find the system complicated and exclusionary. The council says it is reliable and efficient.
They save money and help the environment too. No more printing paper permits, they explain. Some people can still get paper permits. These are assessed case by case. But some say the rules for paper permits are too strict. Mistakes could cause lots of fines.
Dr. Cheke gave the petition to the county council. He said it creates problems for residents and enforcement. He thinks it complicates a simple process unnecessarily. He also raised privacy concerns about the system.
The system records all visitors’ details. Visitors might worry about no proof of legal parking. No permit evidence exists if the system fails. He said that getting paper permits will be near impossible. Only people without phones, internet, or friends qualify. He thinks the system was imposed with no consultation.
Dr. Cheke suspects many incorrect fines will happen. He says the visitor, not the resident, will get fined. This often results from simple data entry mistypes.
The digital system started in November 2024. The petition began in early December. It has over 2,000 signatures. The city council wants more clarity about paper permit rules. They want to monitor the system for discrimination too. They seek to avoid unfair outcomes for anyone.