You can (for a small fee and for your convenience) pay to park by phone. You can still pay using the meter (so not forced into it).

The number is an 0871 number. The information on the web site (of the provider of the service, not the council) says there are no call charges, any charges are dependent upon your mobile provider. To activate your parking will be a call of about 40 sec and to deactivate will be call of about 15 sec. The cost will be about 15p.

Surely this is factually inaccurate. The 'no call charges' I assume is referring to the fact that they don't generate revenue from this (as they clearly admit you will have to pay for the call and estimate how much [15p]) but surely they do get revenue from an 0871 number?

I also do not believe that 2 calls from a mobile of 40 and 15 sec respectively will only cost on average 15p.

The 0871 numbers are charged at the maximum 10p a minute. The 0870 number will be charged at whatever 0870 numbers are charged at these days.

However, from mobiles, it will cost up to 35p per minute, so it is probably going to cost 70p to activate and deactivate. Personally, I'd prefer to find the ticket machine...

In principle I think this is a good scheme. You are not prevented from getting a ticket and paying cash if you wish and you don't pay for parking that you don't use and you don't have to rush back if you are delayed and haven't paid enough.

However it is spoilt by the use of 0871 and the fact that the information provided regarding the cost is completely inaccurate.

As it is there is a fee for using this scheme (which is fair enough). If a geo number was used the cost of the calls would be low for the parkers (mobile users) and the pricing information would be accurate.