Earlier this month we published a news article describing how parking meters in Southampton were going to be adapted so they can take contactless credit card payments, with similar trials taking place in London (read ‘Contactless credit cards ‘used for parking meters’‘).

On first seeing the news I remember thinking that it was a great idea and imagined how much bother it could save many Britons.

First introduced in 2007, contactless credit cards allow you to complete transactions, up to £10, by simply touching your card against a device on the usual point of sale machine. You don’t even have to enter your PIN.

This will no doubt be more convenient than having to insert a debit or credit card and wait for it to process and definitely easier than scrabbling around for change therefore saving drivers time and hassle.

Of course, it should also help those drivers that always forget to carry adequate change for parking (this is why I was so excited when I heard the news) and possibly reduce the number of parking tickets that are issued because paying will be so much easier. 

Several high street banks already offer the technology in their credit cards and contactless payments can also be made in some Eat, Pret A Manger and Boots stores (mainly those in cities).

Last month, Barclaycard announced that it had enabled two million of its customers to make contactless payments and the technology now comes as standard on most of its credit cards.