It's a rare day when London's drivers and the parking authorities can actually kiss, make up and play nice, but we think this scheme might do the trick. Westminster Council has chosen 200 'Golden' parking bays, which - until 6.30pm this evening (that's Thursday, folks) - will be entirely gratis.Yes, if you can make it through our glacially slow traffic, you may be lucky enough to park your motor for free.
This is no random burst of generosity. The Council are celebrating the 500,000th pay-by-phone transaction. To the uninitiated (such as this car-less Londonista), the cashless scheme allows drivers to pay by via text message or phone call, and is designed to replace traditional parking meters. It has proved successful thus far, with 100,000 users making 500,000 transactions since it was launched in June.
Perhaps for one day, then, the capital's drivers and parking attendants won't be at each other's throats. Still, the news this week that the 2012 games will be car-free suggests that today's ceasefire is merely a breather in the battle between the driving classes and those who seek to control them.
Image from xrrr's Flickrstream
