Temporary debit/credit card problems with pay-and-display machines in Wellington’s CBD

Motorists are asked not to use debit cards to pay for on-street parking in Wellington’s CBD for the next few weeks while a technical problem, associated with a newly-released ANZ debit card, is fixed.

About 160 pay-and-display parking machines in Wellington’s CBD have been put out of action after some motorists have attempted to pay for parking using the new ANZ debit cards that feature raised ‘braille’ dots. The dots are designed to help visually-impaired people enter the cards the right way round into eftpos terminals and other vending machines.

The City Council’s Community Networks Manager, Stephen McArthur, says a number of the cards have been found jammed inside the P&D machines. The ‘card readers’ on the machines are damaged by the ‘braille’ dots and, if not jammed, will no longer ‘read’ any credit or debit card.

The machines are still accepting payment by:
• cash
• Snapper card
• smartphone apps PayMyPark and Phone2Park
• Text-a-Park.

In addition to the existing payment methods, motorists can pay by calling Wellington City Council on tel 04 499 4444 and passing on their credit/debit card number and details in the strictest confidence while the issue is being resolved.

Replacing and upgrading the card readers in the city’s 512 pay-and-display machines will be brought forward and take several weeks. Until the work is completed, temporary stickers on the machines will advise motorists to avoid using credit/debit cards and use one of the alternative payment methods.

The new readers will also incorporate ‘paywave’ technology.

Normal enforcement of parking will continue in the CBD given that motorists have several convenient payment methods available to them.

If motorists have received a ticket since the beginning of May 2018 after being unable to use a P&D machine then they are urged to follow the appeals process that is outlined on the parking ticket.

The Council will treat the appeals on a case-by-case basis – using its knowledge of which machines are operating and which have malfunctioned.

Background:
• The new ‘braille’ dots on ANZ debit cards are causing the cards to become stuck in some (but not all) card readers installed in the pay-and-display machines. Forcing the card out again can cause internal damage to a micro switch at the back of the unit, and may also remove material from the card dot features.
• As a result the damaged card reader does not detect the next card inserted - the only solution is to replace the card reader.

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