CONTACTLESS chip and pin card payments now introduced by Waverley Borough Council at Haslemere High Street car park will not be subject to a service charge.

Residents had complained they had to pay more to park in Haslemere when using the RingGo mobile phone service, because a surcharge was added.

Lynchmere motorist Simon Dalziel said after having an extra 19p added to the £1 payable for an hour’s parking at the High Street pay and display: “Council tax payers in Haslemere are being ripped off.”

But plans to introduce a “check in, check out” system, under which motorists would only be charged for the actual time on site, have been abandoned by Waverley, following a trial at two car parks in Cranleigh.

A council spokesman said: “The system had been trialled since April but it proved unpopular with customers.

“Usage had been declining for some months, with less than five per cent of payment transactions being carried out using the process. Therefore, the council decided it could not justify the expenditure of keeping it running.”

Waverley plans to meet with town councils and local chambers of commerce during 2018 in a bid to develop tailored parking and charging strategies to suit the needs of each area.

The off-street parking review will also identify opportunities for increasing capacity to meet demand.

The spokesman added: “This isn’t about increasing tariffs or selling land.

“The review is about how our car parks support the continued economic growth of the borough. We will be exploring a number of options.”