Charnwood Borough Council car parks achieve Park Mark awards for another year

All five borough council car parks in Loughborough town centre have been recognised for being among the safest in the country.

Four sites have received the prestigious Park Mark award for the eighth year in a row, while Beehive Lane car park has held the award for twelve years.  The sites are operated by Charnwood Borough Council and were awarded the Park Mark for ensuring a safer environment with a high standard of cleanliness, signage, surveillance and lighting.

Councillor David Hayes, the Council’s Deputy Lead member with responsibility for Regulatory Services, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised for our car parks once again. Residents and visitors to the borough want to feel they and their vehicles are safer when using our car parks.  The awards also recognise the hard work of our staff and demonstrate the council’s determination to provide high-quality parking facilities that aim to reduce levels of crime in the town.”

A Park Mark is awarded to parking facilities that pass a rigorous risk assessment conducted by the police and the British Parking Association.  The assessments include management and maintenance of the facility, ensuring that there are appropriate levels of surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness.  These criteria are known to reduce the opportunity for crime and create a safer environment for the motorist and their vehicle.

Michael Gardner, British Parking Association Area Manager said: “These awards are very well deserved and testament to the enthusiastic and hardworking team that supports these car parks and help maintain the standards required.  Whenever I visit it is always impressive to see the continuous improvements made for the benefit of their customers, which says a lot about the commitment and investment made by Charnwood Council.”

The Park Mark awarded car parks are:

• Granby Street

• Browns Lane

• Southfields Road

• Southfields Road offices

• Beehive Lane

Personal safety and location have been cited as joint priorities when choosing where to park. Early adopters of the scheme saw a dramatic drop in vehicle-related crime of over 80% showing that the initiative really does make a difference.

Could you spot a Park Mark car park?  Have a go by taking this quiz www.britishparking.co.uk/parking-quiz