Unity5’s MiPermit is the Catalyst of Digital Transformation for Cardiff Council

Cardiff Council is the local authority for Wales’ capital city, serving over 380,000 residents and managing more than 700 services, including parking compliance and permitting.

In 2018 they needed to move away from a paper-based parking permit system fraught with problems such as the loss or theft of permits, slow customer applications and time consuming manual processing of permits. They also needed to offer an easy and fast way for residents and visitors in the city to park using cashless payments via an app or by phone.

The system had to be bilingual for both customers and council staff members who were Welsh and English speakers.

 

 

 

Challenges faced by Cardiff Council

Along with Local Authorities across the UK, Cardiff Council were being affected with issues like these:

• An increase in theft of cash from payment machines
• Payment for parking needed to be modernised
• Machines were not suited to installing card payments or accepting bank notes
• High insurance and maintenance bills for machines
• Users couldn’t pay and park if a ticket machine was unusable

 

MiPermit – A Truly Bilingual Software Solution

Unity5 implemented their MiPermit solution, bringing a fast and easy digital parking enforcement solution to Cardiff. MiPermit is a robust, configurable permit management system offering information in both Welsh and English, with the user’s MiPermit app automatically adopting the language set on their hand held device.

Unity5 worked with Cardiff Council to ensure that the native Welsh language was correct in the portal, smart phone apps and the automated telephone system. This created employment in the area with Welsh native speakers manning a Contact Centre for notice processing which is still active and running today.

 

 

MiPermit – Key Benefits and Wins for local authorities in Wales

MiPermit is a proven, cost-effective cashless and permit parking solution. The software was quickly rolled out to street pay and display parking areas across the city, with these key benefits and features:

• A Bilingual phone and permit system: All communication in the system is bilingual to suit both English and Welsh speakers.
• Fast, digital cashless enforcement solution: MiPermit is configurable, so can be set to follow required business rules – including tariffs and exemptions.
• Payments by SMS accepted: MiPermit allows parking using SMS text, which also supports Welsh language.
• App and phone based service improves access: Users can still park and pay with the app or by phone even if a parking machine is not working.
• Tourists and visitors don’t need to register: There is also no additional charge to extend their stay and tariffs can be set to automatically adjust.
• Contact Centre open for customers 7 days a week: A team is on hand to handle questions, appeals letters and more in both Welsh & English.
• Configurable Data Dashboards and Reports: A reporting dashboard offers data based insights for future decision making.

Helen Jenkins, Team Leader at Cardiff Council said:

“The MiPermit platform offered the flexibility to reflect the more cashless society we live in. Unity5 had a track record of success, with their software now being deployed by around a third of the local councils across the UK. They were able to configure MiPermit for our specific requirements and deliver a fully integrated system for parking management.”

 

Digital Permit Management

MiPermit enables the council to issue digital visitor and resident permits, a far more secure system than paper based permits as digital permits can’t be lost, damaged or stolen. Application times are also shortened and re-issuance is much easier for council staff and faster for permit users.

 

 

Beyond Parking – a Truly Configurable System!

Cardiff Council is always looking at innovation for easing traffic congestion, particularly around rush hour and school drop-off and collection. One school recently introduced a ‘walking school bus’ in the Cardiff Bay area of the city. This is where a group of children walk to school with adult volunteers (parents or staff), often following a set route and schedule with designated “stops” to pick up children. This initiative promotes physical activity, reduces traffic congestion, improves safety, and fosters community spirit. Parents can use MiPermit to book time slots online, which allows them to drop their children to a car park to join fully supervised walking bus to school.

 

 

The Future is Smarter Parking Management and Enforcement for Cardiff Council

Helen Jenkins said:

“MiPermit provides live data for us to run smart parking centres. It’s part of our strategy to build Cardiff as a connected, smart city. Overall we are delighted that we opted to use MiPermit as it is enabling us to streamline the city’s parking. We have more access to data than ever before and this is naturally creating more innovative ideas that we are using to re-invest in our city’s future.”

The system has been robust enough to facilitate the rapid growth of cashless parking in Cardiff with over 670k cashless parking sessions in 2025.

 

 

Cardiff Council’s Cabinet approve a 10-year strategy on parking

In October 2025, the council’s City Parking Plan was launched as a cornerstone of Cardiff’s wider Transport Strategy, aiming to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and make the city’s streets safer and more accessible. It includes the introduction of surcharges for oversized and highly polluting vehicles.

Key features of the City Parking Plan include:

• Three Parking Management Areas: Cardiff will be divided into City & Civic Centre, Inner, and Outer Areas, each with tailored parking policies to reflect local needs.
• Introduction of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs): All on-street parking in the Central Area will be managed through CPZs, with operational hours and rules designed to prioritise residents, blue badge holders, essential services, and local businesses.
• Permit Reforms: New types of permits will be rolled out, including for residents, students, businesses, carers, and community premises. Surcharges will be introduced for oversized and highly polluting vehicles, while motorcycles will now require permits to park in resident bays.
• Visitor Parking Changes: Residents will be able to get daily visitor permits, but hourly ones will still be available. To prevent misuse, there will be a limit on how many visitor permits can be used.
• Support for Vulnerable Groups: The plan prioritises blue badge holders and introduces new permits for professional and unpaid carers.

 

Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport, Cllr Dan De’Ath, said:

“Our new City Parking Plan is a vital step towards a Stronger, fairer, greener and more accessible future. By listening to residents and businesses, we’re ensuring that our streets work for everyone – supporting local communities, tackling congestion, and helping us meet our climate goals. This plan is about making Cardiff a better place to live, work, and visit for years to come.

For more information about Licensing software, or to discover why 1 in 3 local authorities across the UK use Unity5 systems contact our friendly team to set up a discovery call. 

Click here to view more case studies about our work with a range of local authorities.