Motorists wishing to park in South Norfolk Council run car parks will no longer have to hunt for change following the introduction of a new system that lets motorists pay for parking with a credit or debit card or via a mobile phone.

New machines in South Norfolk-run car parks will accept coins, credit or debit card payments, pay by phone or there is a new 'Check-in, Check-out' option which allows drivers to tap in and out with a credit card. RingGo allows users to pay for parking through their mobile phone by credit or debit card.

Lee Hornby, councillor, said: 'The first hour is free in all car parks managed by South Norfolk Council to encourage a rapid turnover of the spaces closest to the shops, as all day parking in the best spaces doesn't help the businesses in our market towns. You can still pay for parking in the conventional way, but card and mobile payment is being introduced alongside cash payments as an added service.'