An overhaul in the way that parking permits work in Swindon has been announced by the council.

In a post on Facebook, the local authority said that it was doing away with the previous paper permit system of the past and was introducing new digital parking permits for residents in Swindon. 

"This means that moving forward, if you apply for a new parking permit, you won’t receive a paper permit like you may have done previously, and won’t need to display a physical permit in your car," It said. 

Instead, the council's Civil Enforcement Officers will have handheld devices that can check the status of the digital permit.

The council has instructed anyone looking to renew their paper permit to register for a new digital permit instead, which is what they will need to do going forward into the future as well. 

"By making these changes, we hope to make the process smoother and simpler, and save plenty of paper too," the council added. 

Councillor Dale Heenan, cabinet member for organisational excellence, said: “Last year, the Council issued over 3,000 paper permits to residents, and thousands of visitor permit books. 

"Introducing digital parking permits is a way for the Council to simplify the process, save time, money and effort and make life easier for everyone who lives in a Parking Permit zone. 

“Digital permits have worked well for volunteers who gave up their time to help with the COVID Vaccination Centre at STEAM so I am certain this change will be successful and welcomed.

“There is no need to wait for a physical permit to be delivered or display anything in the window of your car. Going digital also means we are scrapping charges for damaged, lost or destroyed permits or changes to registered vehicle registrations."

How to apply for a digital parking permit

To begin the application process, visit the Swindon Borough Council website here - https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20172/parking_permits/322/resident_parking_permits

Then, you will need your Council Tax account number as well as your postcode and house number to be able to select your property from the search field.

The registration process will ask for these details to set up an account, and a PIN will be sent to you either via email or SMS allowing you to log in to a newly created account.

Once set up with an account, you can then select the type of resident permit you require by entering the vehicle registration number and the date for the permit to start.

Credit or debit card details will then need to be provided to complete the purchase. 

Permits will become active straight after the application has been approved and paid for.

How much will a resident parking permit cost in Swindon

The following permit prices apply to all resident parking zones.

First permit per property (six months) - £25.00

First permit per property (12 months) - £35.00

Secondpermit per property (six months) - £50.00

Second permit per property (12 months) - £75.00

Annual (12-month) permits are available where the applicant owns the property or is in an assured tenancy agreement.

6-month permits are for applicants in a short-hold tenancy.

Lots more information about the changes can be found on the council's website http://ow.ly/5zpi50KeGbe,

Anyone with questions about the change can also email parking@swindon.gov.uk