New Parking Platform Aims to Boost Traffic Management in UK Cities as Drivers Rack up Over £570m in Fines Each Year

Passport, the world’s leader in mobile payments for the transportation industry, has today announced an expanded investment into the UK and the opening of its London office.

Through its work with private and public sector organisations, Passport plays a key role in solving transportation problems within communities. This includes mobile payments for parking, mobile ticketing for transit, mobile cashless tolling, digital permits and parking enforcement, allowing its customers to gain operational efficiencies.

Today’s announcement comes as Passport unveils the findings of research into one of the key challenges it is set up to address - mobility. Passport’s independent study shows that:

• UK drivers rack up over £570m in parking fines each year*
• 83% of drivers say that parking machines don’t work when they need them to
• Over half of councils (55%) admit there are problem areas with parking in their cities
• Almost one third (31%) of cities have reported an increase in illegal parking
• More than a quarter of city councils (27%) say the rise of new modes of transport (such as rideshares and dockless cycles) are causing problems
• 43% of councils and local authorities indicated that train ridership has increased in the past year, while 67% said bus ridership is down
• 37% of councils say there is inadequate funding for parking and public transportation programmes

Adam Warnes, Vice President of UK Operations at Passport says: “The pressure on Britain’s roads and transport systems has never been greater. Congestion is at an all time high and drivers are increasingly frustrated at the competition for kerbside space. At Passport, we want to equip those responsible for planning, managing and enforcing parking and public transportation with a scalable platform that meets the needs of commuters while improving back office efficiencies for councils.”

Bob Youakim, co-founder and CEO at Passport, says: “As populations grow, traffic management within urban environments is becoming increasingly important. While it starts with parking, mobile ticketing for transit, cashless tolling and the issuing of digital permits are critical to reducing congestion, regulating traffic flows and improving urban living in a way that meets the digital-first nature of today’s citizens. Public and private sector organisations have the opportunity to embrace a new approach to transport management - one that combines policy, infrastructure and technology.”

Passport’s expansion into the UK follows a successful mobile cashless payment programme with Westminster City Council. In 2017, Passport worked with the council to develop and launch ParkRight, a tailored parking app that includes a vehicle-based pricing structure targeting diesel operated vehicles. Within the first two weeks from launch, ParkRight surpassed the council’s legacy app’s utilisation through its improved user experience, effortless onboarding and easy payment flow.

Vicky Nock, Head of Parking for Westminster City Council said: “It’s our top priority to ensure a thriving, safe and clean environment for our citizens. For this to be realised, we must engage directly with them to meet their needs and address their questions. Effective transport and traffic management is an essential part to champion air quality, relieve congestion and ensure a frictionless driving and parking experience. This is exactly what Passport has enabled us to do. Through an intuitive application that supports vehicle-based pricing structure for parking, Passport has helped us support our clean air initiative and deliver quick and easy parking for all.”

By delivering tailored solutions to local governments and private organisations, Passport is providing the UK with an end-to-end mobility platform that has yet to be seen in the market.

Research methodology

Passport’s survey research was conducted independently, commissioned in partnership with VIGA. Statistics were based directly from the findings of two surveys, polling 1,000 UK motorists and separately, over 50 council workers employed within parking. *The £570m statistic was based on response from a smaller subset (185 UK motorists) within the total 1,000 UK motorists surveyed.

About Passport 

Passport transforms the way cities manage their operations. The company’s mobile-first platform has been adopted by more than 450 cities, universities, and private operators around the world in cities including Chicago, Toronto, London, and Miami, across more than 5,000 locations. Passport’s product lines - parking, transit and tolling payments, parking enforcement, and permit management - enable organizations in the public and private sectors to streamline their operations, enhance customer service, and make data-driven decisions. Passport has been recognized as one of North America’s fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list and a Best Places to Work in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Passport is backed by a group of investors, including Bain Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures, MK Capital and Relevance Capital. Learn more, or get in touch with Passport at www.passportinc.com.