1. Before you register
1.1 Why did the Forestry Commission introduce pay by phone parking?
Pay by phone parking has been introduced as a way to pay for car parking at a limited number of suitable Forestry Commission sites. The money raised is used to pay for the upkeep of forest car parks and sites. PayByPhone parking was chosen as it provides a convenient, safe and secure way to pay.
1.2 What is pay by phone parking?
Paying by mobile phone is a quick and secure way to pay for parking in Forestry Commission woodlands, we use a company called PayByPhone to manage this service for us. You can pay by calling or by text message.
1.3 Do I have to pre-register to use the PayByPhone service?
No, there is no need to pre-register to use the PayByPhone service; it can be done when you arrive at the car park and pay for your first parking session. However, you can register online at www.paybyphone.co.uk or call 0844 844 9997 before you go to the car park, if you prefer.
1.4 How do I set up an account?
There are two ways to set up an account:
- Complete the online form at www.paybyphone.co.uk
- Call 0844 844 9997 and follow the instructions. You can enter your details via the automated touch tone system or you can opt-out of the automated process and speak to an operator who will help you to process your registration.
1.5 How do I pay for my parking with a phone call?
Call 0844 844 9997 and follow the instructions of our automated touchtone system. Using the keypad on your phone, you simply enter the location number of your car park followed by the number of minutes you wish to stay. See the “How it works” page of our website.
1.6 Can I simply pay to park with cash?
We will continue to accept cash at sites which already have cash collection facilities.
1.7 Do charges only apply during normal working hours? (8.00am to 5.00pm)
No. Charges apply on a 24 hour basis.
1.8 I am a regular visitor. Do you have a discount scheme that would reduce the cost of my visit?
Yes. On many sites you can purchase a Discovery Pass, which entitles you to free car parking at your chosen woodland, as well as other local and national benefits. The price varies from site to site, but each pass lasts for one year from the date of purchase. For some sites that are not currently offering the Discovery Pass scheme, you can purchase a season ticket, which also gives you free car parking at your destination forest.
In both cases you must make sure you display your car parking stickers clearly in the front of your vehicle.
1.9 Can I get a receipt when I pay by phone?
Yes. The pay by phone parking system offers you two ways to get a receipt:
- You can opt to receive a receipt by SMS text each time you use the service or
- You can log on to your online account from at www.paybyphone.co.uk and select to have email receipts instead.
You can also view all your transactions online and these can be printed off in the form of a VAT receipt if required.
1.10 I don't want a PIN - do I need one?
Yes. In order to protect your account details, we will always ask you for your PIN number (or the last four digits of your credit or debit card) when you login to your online account, or call the Pay by Phone Parking service from a phone which was not originally used to set up your account. We will also ask you for your PIN when you change any of your account details. However, when you simply want to park under your original account, you will not be asked for your PIN (default setting). If you wish to change this setting so that your PIN is requested each time you park, you need to login to your online account, click on “Profile”and change your account preferences accordingly.
1.11 What should I do if I forget my PayByPhone PIN number?
When you set up an account over the phone, we automatically set your PIN as the last four digits of the credit or debit card that you register. Users who set up their account online can choose their PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN you can either call the PayByPhone phone number 0844 844 9997 or go online and enter the last 4 digits of the credit or debit card you registered to pay for your parking. Your chosen PIN will then be sent via SMS text to your mobile phone or via e-mail if you have entered an e-mail address on your account. There is no charge for this SMS.
1.12 Can I change my PIN?
Yes. You will need to send an email with your account details requesting the change of PIN to support@paybyphone.co.uk
1.13 Can I change my account number?
Yes. Your account number is your mobile phone number. If you wish to change this number, please contact PayByPhone, who will be able to change your account number. The best way to contact PayByPhone is via e-mail: support@paybyphone.co.uk. Alternatively, you can set up a new or different account online with any 11 digit number of your choice; however you cannot change an existing account number online.
1.14 Can I have more than one account?
Yes. Our system is set up to recognise your mobile phone number as your account number, therefore you can have an account for each mobile phone that you own. Alternatively you can have any number of vehicles attached to one account – see How can I add additional vehicles to my PayByPhone parking account?
1.15 Can I change my personal details and settings?
Yes. You can log in to your online account and click on “Profile” to change your name, card details, e-mail address or account preferences at any time, including your PIN, SMS confirmation and reminder settings. Alternatively you can call the PayByPhone number 0844 844 9997 and select the relevant option from the ‘Other Options’ menu to change your account details or change your SMS text settings.
1.16 How can I add additional vehicles to my PayByPhone account?
You can add extra vehicles to your parking account in various ways:
- Online via www.paybyphone.co.uk - you can log in and click on 'Profile'. There is no limit to the number of vehicles you can add to your account.
- Call the PayByPhone telephone number (0844 844 9997), enter the location
number and duration of stay as normal and then instead of pressing 1 to confirm the
transaction, press 2 and then follow the instructions given. - You cannot add new vehicles by SMS, but see also “How do I select a different vehicle
on my account when I pay for parking?”.
1.17 Can I change my vehicle details?
Yes, there are two ways to change your vehicle details. You can login to your online account and click on “Profile” or you can call the PayByPhone number 0844 844 9997 and select the relevant option from the ‘Other Options’ menu.
1.18 How do I select a different vehicle on my account when I pay for parking?
The system automatically defaults to the last vehicle parked on the account, however, you can easily select a different vehicle registered on that account by pressing * for more options and then selecting "Change vehicle details" or by texting your alternative vehicle registration when you pay by text, i.e. "LOCATION DURATION NUMBER PLATE".
1.19 What will happen to my PayByPhone account if I change my mobile phone?
If you change your mobile phone you can either:
- Set up a brand new PayByPhone account for your new telephone number at
www.paybyphone.co.uk; or - Contact PayByPhone via email at support@paybyphone.co.uk detailing your current account number and the new mobile phone number.
1.20 Can I have more than one payment card on the same account?
No – only one set of card details can be stored against one account. However you can change these details at any time and there is no limit to the number of times it can be changed.
1.21 Can I change my payment card details?
Yes. Payment details can be changed by one of the following ways:
- Login to your account and click on "Profile"
- Call PayByPhone on 0844 844 9997, press * for more options and
select "Change payment details".
1.22 How is payment made for parking when I pay by phone – does it appear on my phone bill?
No. When you set up a PayByPhone account you enter your credit or debit card details for payment. These details are stored and each time you pay by phone the parking fee and service charge are charged to the card that you registered on your account. Parking and service charges will not appear on your phone bill, however network charges for your calls and SMS texts will.
1.23 Can I cancel my PayByPhone account?
Yes, you can cancel your PayByPhone account at any time. You will need to contact PayByPhone on 01453 760000 or by email at support@paybyphone.co.uk.
1.24 How can I check to see if I have used the PayByPhone system correctly?
A simple way to check whether your parking transaction was successful is to call 0844 844 9997. The system will recognise your phone number and prompt you to extend your parking session if it has been registered on the system. If you choose to extend your parking time, the extra parking time is charged at the normal rate for the car park. The service charge is 10p. If there is no record of any parking session, it will ask you for a location number to commence a parking session. Alternatively, you can opt to speak to a customer service advisor, who will be able to confirm whether or not your initial payment was registered.
1.25 I am a disabled blue badge holder – am I eligible for a discount?
No. Charges apply equally to all users.
2. After you have registered
2.1 Are reminder or confirmation texts available?
Yes. If you choose to receive reminder or confirmation texts, there will be a charge of 10p per text for touch tone payments. SMS text payments receive free confirmations by SMS text.
2.2 When will I see transactions on my credit or debit card bill?
Each time you pay for your parking by phone the payment is processed immediately. The amount of time it takes to appear on your bank statement or credit card bill will vary depending on your bank or credit card company. On your statement the transaction will appear as ‘Forestry Parking Payment’.
2.3 What happens if my payment was not successful?
If paying by phone, you will hear the following message: ‘I’m sorry your payment has failed’ and you will then be given the option to enter new card details.
2.4 Can I stop a parking session if I make a mistake?
If paying with a phone call: when you pay for your parking via our touchtone system the details of your parking transaction are announced before you confirm payment. If at this stage your transaction is in any way incorrect, you are given the option to make changes and then confirm.
If paying by SMS text message: when you pay by SMS text you automatically receive an SMS confirmation text detailing your parking transaction. If you notice an error in your transaction you can reply “STOP” to end your parking session. Provided we receive this message within 5 minutes of your original SMS text payment, the transaction will be cancelled and you can start again. If you do not send “STOP” within the first 5 minutes of the parking session, our system will assume that the initial transaction was correct. Once you have cancelled your initial transaction you can send another SMS text with the correct information in the following format: LOCATION DURATION NUMBER PLATE (leaving a space between each item of information).
2.5 When I check my parking history on www.paybyphone.co.uk nothing comes up, why?
When checking your details and parking history, please note that the dates have to be
entered as month/day/year.
2.6 My account has been suspended - what does this mean and what can I do?
There may have been a problem processing one of your previous parking payments – this is most commonly because incorrect credit or debit card details have been entered onto the system or due to other problems with the payment card itself. There are two ways to reactivate your account:
- Call 0844 844 9997 and press * for more options. You can then select update credit or debit card details.
- Call the PayByPhone number as above and press * for more options and then select to speak to a customer service advisor who can update your card details for you.
2.7 Does the payment made for parking appear on my phone bill?
No. When you set up a PayByPhone account you enter your credit or debit card details for payment. These details are stored and each time pay by phone the parking fee and service charge are charged to the card that you registered on your account. Parking and service charges will not appear on your phone bill, however network charges for your calls and SMS texts will.
2.8 Do I have to enter my card details every time I park?
No. You only need to enter your card details the first time you use the service in order to set up an account. Your card details are then stored for future use. Your mobile phone number is your account number which remembers your card details, so the next time you call the service all you have to do is enter the location number of your parking space and the number of minutes you wish to park.
2.9 How much does it cost to call the PayByPhone number?
For BT users the 0844 telephone number is charged at the BT national call rate. This may vary for other phone service providers.
2.10 Are there any extra charges when I use PayByPhone?
Yes. There is a small service charge when using PayByPhone. The service charges are as follows:
- 10p for each parking charge of less than £2.00
- 20p for each parking charge of more than £2.00
- 10p for each text message reminder sent
- 10p for each text message confirmation sent
- 10p to extend to the duration of the parking period
A receipt for your parking session can be sent to you by either text or email. There is a charge of 10p for the text message receipt, but the email receipt is free. Your parking costs will appear on your monthly credit/debit card statement.
2.11 Can I call the text number instead to make a payment?
No, the text number is designed to receive SMS text message only. If you call this number you will receive a message stating that this number is "Temporarily unavailable".
2.12 Can I cancel a parking session early and get a refund for unused parking
time?
No. As with pay and display machines, once you have paid you cannot be refunded.
2.13 What happens if I enter the wrong location number?
If you enter the wrong location number when you park, our forest rangers will not be able to verify that you have paid for your parking. If you suspect that you have entered the wrong location number you can call the PayByPhone number: 0844 844 9997 and select “To park in another location”. Please note, a location number cannot be changed once a transaction has been confirmed (i.e. during an existing parking session), therefore you will need to make a new transaction with the correct location number.
2.14 What will happen if I enter an incorrect Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) when using PayByPhone?
If you enter the wrong VRN our forest rangers will not be able to verify that you have paid. If you suspect that you have entered the wrong VRN you can call the PayByPhone number 0844 844 9997 and select “Change vehicle details” from the “Other options” menu. Alternatively, you can log in to your online account and click on “Profile” to update your vehicle details. Please note, VRN details cannot be changed once a transaction has been confirmed (i.e. during an existing parking session), therefore you will need to make a new transaction with the correct VRN details once they have been updated.
2.15 What happens if I pay twice by mistake?
The PayByPhone system will recognise if you have already paid for a parking session so call: 0844 844 9997, to check first. Remember, you can also check all your transactions by logging into your online account and clicking on "Transactions".
2.16 Can I get a refund if I make a mistake?
Yes. Before requesting a refund, please ensure that you check all your transactions by logging into your online account and clicking on "Transactions". If you believe you are entitled to a refund please contact us and provide as much detail as possible. If you have paid twice for the same parking transaction because you entered the wrong information (vehicle registration or location number), you will be entitled a refund.
2.17 Can I pay for my parking before I arrive with PayByPhone?
We do not recommend you pay for your parking in advance as a parking space may not be available when you arrive at the car park. Also please remember that your parking session begins when the transaction is confirmed this means you will be paying to park while travelling.
2.18 Are there any types of payment cards that cannot be used?
The system will accept payments from all major cards with the exception of American Express and Diners Card.
2.19 What is a location number and where can I find it?
Every PayByPhone car park has a location number. These are indicated on the payment signs in the car park. Each location number is made up of four digits. Please ensure that you check the location number before you pay for parking. The location number on the Conditions of Use sign is only an example.
2.20 Can I use PayByPhone with a foreign vehicle registration number?
Yes, provided that the number contains numbers and letters found in the English alphabet, up to a maximum of 14 characters.
2.21 Can I use PayByPhone with a foreign mobile phone?
Yes, but you must enter the international dialling code ‘00 44’ before entering the PayByPhone number, i.e. 0044 844 844 9997. Your mobile phone number will not automatically be recognised by our system; therefore you will have to enter your phone number (account number) each time you wish to park.
2.22 Can I use a foreign credit or debit card to pay for my parking by phone?
Yes. International Visa and Mastercards are accepted; however non-UK debit cards are
not.
2.23 How will the forest ranger know that I have paid?
They carry devices that allow them to access the PayByPhone system and view the vehicle registration numbers of all customers that have paid by phone or text message at the car park. If you did not pay on arrival, they will record your vehicle registration number and leave a notice on your car. So long as you complete payment before midnight on the same day, no further action will be taken.
When you phone to pay it is very important that you listen to the whole of the voice message and press 1 to confirm when prompted and you will receive confirmation that your payment has been processed. If you hang up before this part of the message and do not press 1, your transaction will not be processed. This means that your car registration number will not appear as having paid on the forest ranger's device and you may receive a reminder notice. When you pay by text message, confirmation is usually sent within five minutes.
2.24 I paid for my parking by phone but I still received a reminder notice – why?
There are several reasons why you may have received a reminder notice when you have
paid using the PayByPhone service.
- You did not enter the correct vehicle registration number or were not using the vehicle that is registered with the service;
- You entered an incorrect location number for where you were parked;
- You did not Press 1 to confirm the transaction when paying by phone and the
transaction did not register; - Your card payment failed and therefore no parking transaction was entered on to the
system.
You can check your PayByPhone transactions at www.paybyphone.co.uk
2.25 What do I do if I receive a reminder notice?
If you receive a reminder notice, please check the reason for its issue, which is explained on the reminder notice itself. If you have made an error with any of your account details you can check these by logging onto your online account and clicking on “Profile”. You can also view your parking transaction history to confirm what payments for parking were deducted from your account.
Please follow the instructions on the reminder notice for payment. If you wish to challenge your reminder notice you must do so in writing to the address below or use the online appeal form at www.forestry.gov.uk/parking.
Forestry Commission
PO Box 597
Northampton
NN4 7XN
For both methods you will need the reminder notice number and your vehicle registration number.
2.26 I have lost network coverage - I can’t pay for or top up my parking?
If the telephone signal is lost while entering details to PayByPhone, you will need to call
again and will be asked for any details that the system did not register.
2.27 My phone battery has run out – I can’t pay for or top up my parking?
If your battery runs out before you are able to pay for, or extend your parking, you will be able to pay for parking by using the Pay and Display machines on site.
2.28 What happens if I can't get through to the PayByPhone number?
In the unlikely event that you cannot reach the PayByPhone number by calling 0844 844 9997 then you can use the Pay and Display machine on site.
2.29 What will happen to my PayByPhone account if my phone is lost or stolen?
Your PayByPhone account is protected by your PIN which needs to be entered any time you wish to makes changes to your account - therefore cannot be viewed or changed by any unauthorised persons. (This is the case even where you have opted for your PIN not to be requested when you pay for your parking). In addition – your account can only be used to park the vehicle you registered with the system, therefore cannot be used by any unauthorised persons to pay for their parking. Please remember that if you replace your mobile phone you will need to update your PayByPhone parking account accordingly.
2.30 Is it safe to do a credit card transaction on a mobile phone like this?
Yes, you only have to enter your credit or debit card details when you first set up an account. These details are encrypted and do not have to be entered, displayed, or spoken during a transaction. Your PayByPhone account can also be protected by a PIN of your choice. In addition, PayByPhone enables you to pay for your parking from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.
2.31 What happens if my card is stolen or used fraudulently?
If your card is stolen or used fraudulently, please contact your card issuer for advice.
2.32 What happens to my credit/ debit card and mobile phone details?
The details that you enter to set up a PayByPhone account are encrypted and stored on
PayByPhone database. They are only used for paying for parking and receiving essential updates about the service. Please review the PayByPhone Privacy Policy (available online at https://paybyphone.co.uk/privacy).
2.33 Is my information safe on the payment system and website?
Yes. The website is safe and secure. Information held on the website is covered by the Data Protection Act and cannot be shared with other people without your knowledge and agreement. Only you can access your own account information, using your account number, which is your mobile phone number and a secret PIN (personal identification number) or the last four digits of your credit card number (if you did not create a PIN). ThePIN can be changed when you log in.
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