Motorists using car parks in a Suffolk district will have to pay a 20p convenience fee after a council agreed to join a new National Parking Platform (NPP), which aims to simplify the payment process.

East Suffolk Council has been absorbing the 20p charge for using the RingGo app to pay for parking, which cost the council £177,700 in 2022/23 and is estimated to rise to £208,659 for this financial year, 2023/24.

However, the terms and conditions for joining the NPP would require the motorist to pick up this charge, saving the council more than £500,000 over a three year period.

READ MORE: Complaints about car park in Southwold, east Suffolk

A report to the council's cabinet by councillor Toby Hammond, the cabinet member for economic development and transport, highlighted the benefits of the NPP, particularly that drivers would no longer have to use multiple apps to pay.

The new technology aims to enable motorists to pay for their parking on their preferred service provider app at any participating location.

Previously, motorists were confronted by a fragmented market offering a wide variety of payment options which made the simple act of paying to park complex and confusing.

READ MORE: Family's Easter Southwold trip 'ruined' by £100 parking fine

Additionally, a poor mobile signal often made it difficult for customers to download the relevant payment app.

In June, the EADT reported how drivers were experiencing difficulties parking at Easton Farm car park in Southwold- a situation made worse by the one hour 45 minute download time for the Poppay app provided by the car park's operator National Parking Management.

A number of motorists were hit with £100 fines for overstaying a ten minute waiting restriction at the car park due to queuing to pay with cash at the machine and the time taken to download the app.

READ MORE: Southwold resident leaves note to slam 'disgraceful' parking

In proposing to join the NPP, Cllr Hammond said: "I think it is something our residents would like because it means that we don't have to juggle different apps."

In response, Cllr Rachel Smith-Lyte sought assurances that customers who could not access digital services would still be able to pay with cash to park, to which Cllr Hammond said the council was committed to retaining coin-operated machines in car parks.

The cabinet unanimously backed the motion.