An abandoned car park in Ashford town centre is to reopen as a cashless pilot in May after plans were approved by councillors.

The Park Mall car park was closed by its operator NCP in September last year but was bought by Ashford Borough Council (ABC).

Since then it has remained closed but last week councillors voted unanimously to reopen the multi-storey car park as part of a cashless pilot.

It will see automatic number-plate recognition cameras (ANPR) be installed similar to those seen in Elwick Place.

Customers will be encouraged to pay by card, using the RingGo app or by an online account.

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday council leader Gerry Clarkson (Con) said keeping cash at some sites showed that the authority “cared”.

He said: “I’ve been insisting we do have to look at the ageing population we’ve got, not everyone is okay with computers as I am. I say that tongue in cheek because I’m the least capable.

“We’ve tried to insist that people will be able to pay with cash for a while.

“I know some of the council officers say we should modernise and I understand that, but we must have that care for others.

“We can’t claim to be a caring borough if we don’t care, we have to actually do things and demonstrate we care.”

As well as becoming cashless, prices at the car park will be slashed to encourage shoppers back to the town.

Before the car park shut it cost £1.60 to park hourly, whereas the same period will now cost £1 for up to four hours.

If the pilot is successful the Edinburgh Road car park nearby will also become cashless.

It will cost the council just under £53,000 to install the system at Park Mall, which would rise to £137,500 if Edinburgh Road also becomes cashless.

Cllr Linda Harman (Ashford Independents) asked what provisions were being made for those with a disability who may struggle with the new system.

Portfolio holder for community safety Peter Feacey (Con) said alternatives were available: “We are using RingGo and the app, they can also register online and pay on exit.

“But really the ANPR system is probably an easier system because they don’t have to go near a terminal, they don’t have to search the multi-storey car park to pay for their parking.

“Bearing in mind Edinburgh Road car park is next door we still intend to keep change in that car park and we don’t see any issues there at all with disabled people”.

Graffiti now covers a number of walls in the car park and a pop-up tent has been abandoned close to the travelator.