PAY-and-display ticket machines able to take the new 12-sided £1 coins are being installed at Powys council-owned car parks.
The council announced in March its pay and display machines were unable to take the new coin, which was launched at the end of that month, and urged drivers to keep a supply of the old round coins, or other change, when visiting its car parks. It said it was waiting for the delivery of new machines and had opted against upgrading the existing ones, some of which were more than 20 years old, as they may not have been able to take the new coins.
The council has said it has now begun the process of installing 55 new pay-and-display machines over the next month, with the first machines already installed in Newtown.
The new machines will accept both the new £1 coins and old £1 coins, which go out of circulation in October.
Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick, cabinet member for highways, said: “It is great to hear that new ticket machines are being installed in our pay-and-display car parks.
“The new machines will accept the old £1 coin until they lose their legal tender status in October. Our parking officers will be able to update the new machines from October 15 so they don’t accept the old £1 coin.”