YourParkingSpace.co.uk is encouraging motorists to book online and avoid a parking headache following warnings that tens of thousands of ticket machines are not ready to accept the new £1 coin.

According to the British Parking Association, over a quarter of Britain’s 100,000 parking machines have not yet been updated to process the 12-sided coin, meaning drivers with the new tender could struggle to park in many places in the UK over the coming months.

But YourParkingSpace.co.uk, which enables drivers to compare and book over 250,000 private and commercial parking spaces nationwide believes booking online could provide a solution.

“The fact that a significant number of cash-operated machines aren’t ready for the new coins is likely to be extremely irritating for drivers who will be faced with the inconvenience of having to leave their car to go and change money or alternatively find somewhere else to park”, said Harrison Woods, managing director at YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

“To avoid frustration as well as possible delays to their journey I would recommend drivers reserve their parking in advance online. Our platform allows drivers to book and pay for their parking through a secure system meaning you’ll never have to root around for the correct change again.”

The new £1 coin made its debut yesterday, six months before the old ‘round pound’ is phased out in October. During this time both coins will be accepted as legal tender, however due to a backlog for modification it is likely to take until June for all parking machines to be updated.