A proposal to upgrade hundreds of pay and display machines in Aberdeen to accept debit and credit cards has been recommended for refusal by city council officials.
Councillors had previously asked staff to look at improving the existing boxes to allow for card payments.
However, a report to be considered at a meeting next week has revealed it would cost at least £230,000 to make changes to 230 of the machines that could be altered.
The report from Neil Carnegie, service manager for community safety, also points out motorists can already pay for their parking by credit or debit card using an existing mobile phone system.
Mr Carnegie said: “Introducing this additional option would have significant cost implications.
“It would cost approximately £1,000 per machine to fit
equipment to accept card payments.
“It should also be highlighted that the majority (420) of our machines could not be retrofitted with the relevant equipment and many of the machines that could be upgraded are in our least busy zones.
“It is therefore strongly recommended that this payment option is not pursued.”
Members of the communities, housing and infrastructure committee have also been asked to approve the awarding of new contracts for the mobile phone payment system and the removal of illegally parked vehicles.
There are now an estimated 1.5million parking payment transactions across the city.
In October 2014, there were more than 25,000 transactions made through the mobile phone payment system, a 7% increase from the previous month.
Council officials have projected that 20% of all parking transactions could be made by phone this year.
The communities, housing and infrastructure committee meets on Tuesday, January 13.