THE service drivers use to pay for their car parking by mobile phone is being changed by South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse district councils.

From November 1 users of district council car parks will be able to pay by mobile using the new Connect Cashless system, which replaces the RingGo service available since 2014.

People can still also pay by cash.

Drivers can quickly register a Connect account with a call to provide payment details.

Each time they visit the car park from then on, they will only need to make a phone call or send a text to pay for their parking.

The new system has been launched as part of the wider Five Councils Partnership that has seen South and Vale team up with Hart, Mendip and Havant councils to save £40m over nine years by jointly contracting a wide range of services.

Robert Sharp, cabinet member for the Five Councils Partnership at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: "The new Connect Cashless service is quick and easy to use – other than that, residents shouldn’t see much difference, apart from different logos on the car park inspectors' uniforms."

Lynn Lloyd, cabinet member for the Five Councils Partnership at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "This is just one of the many benefits that we’ll get out of the Five Councils Partnership which will help us achieve the planned savings over the next nine years.

"We still set the tariffs, the timings and any excess charges."

For more information on the car parks using the new Connect Cashless system, visit southoxon.gov.uk/connectcashlessor whitehorsedc.gov.uk/connectcashless or connectcashlessparking.com