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Council’s 14 main car parks receive safety award

Publication date:

St Albans City and District Council’s main car parks have received a major award from the Safer Parking Scheme.

The scheme is overseen by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and is aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime at car parks.

All of the Council’s 14 fee-paying car parks were inspected last month by the independent British Parking Association which manages the scheme and received the Park Mark.

This status shows the car parks meet all the safety requirements contained in police guidance. 

To gain the mark, car park operators must show they are effective managers and have put in place measures to deter crime and anti-social behaviour.

These include high standards of surveillance such as CCTV, lighting, signage and cleanliness.

The Council’s car parks have had the Park Mark for more than 20 years and are inspected every two years to check if standards have been maintained.

Car parks with the safety mark include the Civic Centre, Drovers Way, Russell Avenue, Westminster Lodge and Verulamium Museum, in St Albans, and Amenbury Lane, Bowers Way East and Bowers Way West, in Harpenden.

Councillor Helen Campbell, the Council’s Lead for Car Parking, said:

I am pleased that once again our car parks have achieved the British Parking Association’s Safer Parking Mark.

The safety of the public is one of our paramount concerns and we are determined to ensure our car parks meet high standards and have measures in place to deter and detect crime.

We will not get complacent and will continue to regularly review our safety measures and carry out upgrades when necessary.

Indeed, since the inspections were held, we have carried out maintenance work at the Civic Centre car park to improve the lighting and make it even safer.

You can find out more about the British Parking Association’s Safer Parking Mark on this website.

Photo: Verulamium car park.

Media contact:  John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.