Hackney Council’s pay and display parking machines are going greener with the arrival of the most effective solar-powered machines on the market. Over 40% of the machines in the borough - 174 out of 400 - are the new eco-friendly ones and the remainder will be replaced by the cleaner, greener machines as they wear out.

Together, the machines already installed will save almost 130,000 kilowatts each year, and cut the council’s carbon footprint by 56 tonnes of carbon dioxide – the equivalent of 43 flights from London to New York. And they’ll save on energy bills.

The new machines are more efficient to maintain, requiring just one battery change per year, compared to as much as one per month for the previous machines. Installing them is also easier and greener – they require much less foundation digging and do not require the associated electrical works that mains powered units need.

Cllr Alan Laing, Hackney’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said: “These machines will save energy and save money and contribute to the Council’s policy of creating a greener borough and are another example of the council working towards a more sustainable future.”

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