COLCHESTER Council has revealed it spent £3,600 becoming the first local authority in the country to install Apple Pay technology at a car park.

The system enables customers to pay for parking by touching their iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or Apple Watch on a sensor on the parking machine.

It is available at six of the 11 pay stations in St Mary’s car park.

The Apple Pay enabled machines cost £2,800, which is £600 more than the standard pay stations.

The council angered motorists in July this year when it scrapped pay-on-exit at the car park in favour of pay and display.

Dominic Graham, councillor responsible for streets and waste, said: “St Mary’s has had some criticism so we have listened to the concerns of residents.

“When we put in the contactless card payment system we realised we had the ability to move to Apple Pay as well.

“So far I haven’t heard a single complaint which I take as a good sign.

“We just want to do what’s best for the residents and I am pleased we are improving things.”

The council will extend the technology to its other car parks if the St Mary’s system proves successful.

Matthew Young, head of operational services at Colchester Council, said: “We are trialling the parking stations to make sure the technology works, which it does.

“We will then bring in more machines in the future to other car parks in the town.

“It will be a game changer as people want more cashless payment car parks.”

Payments can also be made in cash, although no change is given, or on people’s phones via the MiPermit website.

The machines were made by Cale UK, which said customers are demanding simpler payment methods to buy their tickets in a more digitalised society.