New 5p and 10p coin chaos predicted

The introduction of new, thicker coins is going to cause problems at parking meters and vending machines, warns an industry body.

New 5p and 10p coins set to be introduced in the spring won’t be accepted by some parking meters and vending machines, it’s been claimed.

Apparently, many automatic machines have not been set up to take the new coins and some machines won’t accept the current coins, according to the Automatic Vending Association.

The new coins are the same size as the current ones in circulation but are thicker as they are made of steel, rather than the current alloy of cupro-nickel - 75% copper and 25% nickel. This is a cost-cutting exercise introduced by the Labour Government, which it estimated will save between £7 million and £8 million a year.

However, it’s claimed that the cost of changing machines to accept the new coins could be as high as £80 million over two years.

The Local Government Association says the Treasury should pay for the changes to council parking meters, which it estimates will cost local authorities in England and Wales £5.5 million.

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh city councils have announced that their parking meters won’t accept the new coins, with the smallest coin accepted now 20p. Both said that the cost of the changing the meters is too high.

The coins were originally going to be introduced last year, but they were delayed because of concerns that machines such as parking meters and payphones would not be ready in time. It remains to be seen if they’ll be delayed again…

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