Cashless parking is a 'honeypot for thieves' MPs warn

Nearly 5,000 coin-operated meters have been ripped up in central London, with motorists now having to set up an account via a premium-rate 0870 phone line before they can park.

During the process they are told to send their credit card details, car registration and mobile number to a call centre by text or touchtone phone.

The scheme is run on behalf of Westminster Council by a private company – and now nine other councils around England plan similar schemes.

But Mike Hawkes, a contributor to Government inquiries on data protection, warned that criminals could easily intercept a driver's details if they were sent by mobile.

He said: "All it takes is a laptop with a Bluetooth adapter."

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Labour MP John Robertson, a data protection campaigner, said: "These schemes sound like an easy way for criminals to get money.

"I would like to know what these councils are doing to stop personal information being scanned by others – and what compensation, if any, they will offer to people who lose money through fraudulent activity."

Mr Hawkes, of security company Broca Communications, added: "People often forget that mobiles are radio communication devices.

"If you have got some equipment that is capable of receiving those signals, it's no great shakes to collect the information being transmitted.'

He also warned that thieves could use less high-tech methods to steal from drivers. "Every picture I have seen of cashless parking schemes has shown someone with a mobile in one hand and a credit card in the other," said Mr Hawkes.

"The only thing missing is the guy with a baseball bat waiting round the corner."

He added: "Councils need to stop and think how they should be protecting their customers.

"At the moment they are creating a honeypot for fraudsters."

Town hall chiefs claim cashless parking means they no longer have to deal with the problem of criminals forcing open meters and stealing the coins.

The nine areas operating pilot schemes are Birmingham, Cheltenham, Oxford, Salisbury, Lincoln, Colchester, Darlington, York and Newcastle.

If these are judged a success, others are expected to follow.

But opponents of the scheme believe that the system's reliance on technology discriminates against the elderly and infirm, who may find the kerbside information displays confusing.

It also makes it impossible for anyone without a credit card or mobile phone to use a street parking space.

One of the sternest critics of cashless parking is 82-year-old former Tory minister Sir Philip Goodhart.

He said that he finds the system so inconvenient that he has stopped bringing his car into Central London, where street parking can cost £4 an hour.

"It is impossible for many people to have a mobile phone in their pocket all the time,' said Sir Philip.

"Even if you do have one, it can be extremely difficult to read out the numbers on your credit card if you are holding the phone in your other hand."

Westminster Council said it recognised there were flaws in the scheme.

A spokesman added: "We are changing the system so people can speak to someone to give details."