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The Westport Police Department is bringing parking tickets into the 21st century. Starting Friday, tickets generated by handheld ticket writers will replace the old handwritten parking violation tickets and daily parking fee tickets issued at Westport's train stations.
These new tickets, which were phased in this week, are part of the department's new parking ticket and payment system provided by Complus Data Innovations, Deputy Chief Dale Call announced Thursday.
Call said these handheld ticket writers will also allow traffic agents and police officers to document violations by taking up to three images per ticket. They can also be used to electronically "chalk" tires in timed zones, which in turn might help improve turnover of parking spaces. Police officers will still be able to issue handwritten tickets when the handheld computers are not available, he said.
The online payment process will also change Friday. The new online payment site may be accessed through the town website or at the online payment portal directly. The new payment system will accept credit and debit cards as well as payments through PayPal, Call said.
There will be no extra fee for paying daily parking fees online if the payments are made on time, he said. A convenience fee will be charged for parking violation payments and late daily parking fees. Customers may also make payment by mail or by dropping them off at police headquarters. Both computer-printed and handwritten tickets may be paid by following the online instructions.
The new online payment system will allow customers to see all unpaid tickets issued to their vehicle, which Call said is an improvement over the previous system. Customers may also contest their parking tickets online, but the traditional paper form will still be available.
Call said the department is looking at ways to incorporate railroad parking permits into this system, which would allow online renewals and other benefits.
What do you think about this new parking ticket and payment system?
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