Motorists were asked for patience as the Corporation of Hamilton works out bugs in a newly installed smart parking programme.

The corporation acknowledged problems linked to a paperless parking scheme brought to the City Hall car park that has led to confusion and frustration.

A City of Hamilton spokeswoman said yesterday: “As with any new technology roll-out, some transitional issues were always a possibility, particularly in the early implementation phase.

“While the system was fully tested ahead of launch, certain real-world variables only become fully apparent once the system is operating at live volume.

“Our technicians and on-site teams are working through those adjustments in real time and we expect the system to continue improving as it learns and adapts.”

The comments came after motorists took to social media to list an array of problems they faced with the new programme.

Several explained that the system struggled to read their licence plates and raised the barrier too slowly, which led to traffic back-ups that lasted almost an hour.

Others noted problems with credit cards being accepted, barriers being lifted before payment and some being unprepared to pay without cash.

The Corporation said it became aware of the challenges when the system was first installed on Monday.

The spokeswoman explained that a complication around some barriers opening before payment had been offered was “identified and corrected”.

She said that the Pango app was the best alternative to paying without a credit card.

The spokeswoman added: “Once the app has been downloaded and set up, users can securely add their payment method or load funds into their Pango wallet directly within the app.

“After that, there is no need to physically present the card at the exit, as payment can be completed through the phone and linked to the vehicle’s licence plate.

“Importantly, all payment information is entered and managed directly by the user within the Pango platform.”

She said: “This option is especially helpful during the current transition period, as it allows motorists to complete payment digitally and exit without needing to use the machine.”

The spokeswoman made it clear that the Corporation did not keep or access any credit card details at any stage of the process.

She warned that some users may face trouble paying with certain cards because of security settings put in place by their banks.

With regards to the slow rising speed of the barrier, the spokeswoman said: “Our investigations indicate that card processing times at City Hall Car Park are consistent with those at the Front Street car parks, which also operate using LPR.

“It may, however, appear slower to some motorists, as the payment and exit process is now consolidated at a single point, rather than being split between pay stations and the exit barrier.”

The spokeswoman recommended that drivers of vehicles with irregular licence plates, such as Twizys, rentals and those with personalised plates, may need to enter their registration number manually at the entrance and exit.

She encouraged motorists to double check on the screen that the correct licence plate was read by the machines, as certain characters may be mistaken for others.

The spokeswoman added yesterday: “Technicians remain on site and City team members continue to assist motorists at entry and exit points while system refinements are made.”

She said: “As the system continues to learn and adapt to local plate variations, we expect these issues to steadily improve.

“We sincerely appreciate the community’s patience as we continue the roll-out of a parking system designed to make the overall experience quicker and more convenient.”