However, residents have recently noticed new charges highlighted on their bank accounts from a “pre-authorization” reservation if they want to use the borough’s car parks.

This is comparable to pay-at-the-pump gas stations where users must pre-authorize the maximum amount of fuel delivered. This is a temporary reserve on your account and will range from £1.30 in street parking spaces to £19 in car parks.

But this does not mean that the money is actually collected until the end of the session. Only the amount corresponding to the duration of the parking session corresponds to where the reservation is automatically cleared as a pending transaction request, the times corresponding to the clearing times between card issuers and banks.

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RingGo says the move, which took effect last month, is “intended to enhance payment security and limit fraud.”

Meanwhile, the council said it was a national change to the telephone parking provider meeting national rules.

Stuart Hayward said he parked at Alexandra Gardens in Windsor for £5.10 but had a ‘pre-authorisation’ amount of £14 placed in his bank account.

He managed to get the £14 back after two days, but told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that some people had waited a week.

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Mr Hayward said: ‘I have no problem with pre-clearance, but not for this value.

“It should last an hour or two. That’s fine because most people wouldn’t spend five or six hours downtown unless they were working downtown.

“If you’re going into town for Marks and Spencers or something then you’re not going to take a whole day.”

He added: “For some people, £14 is a lot of money to withdraw if they need it for food, transportation or something.

“If they have to wait a whole week to get their money back, it becomes a problem for the residents.”

RingGo and the board have been contacted for further comment.