Braintree District Council achieves Park Mark safety award for car parks

All council owned car parks across the Braintree district have retained national awards for their safety and accessibility for the sixth consecutive year.

Braintree District Council’s car parks have been awarded the national Safer Parking Scheme’s ‘Park Mark’ award following an independent assessment by the British Parking Association and police trained assessors on Monday 28th January 2019, showing that the car parks met challenging criteria that includes CCTV, lighting, signage and cleanliness.

The award recognises the investment to keep the car parks to a high standard, ensure the safety of customers and their vehicles, and where there are low cases of crime.

Councillor Wendy Schmitt, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment and Place, said: “It’s great news that our car parks have once again been awarded Park Mark status in recognition of our ongoing investment and commitment to maintaining high quality and convenient parking facilities across the district. Local people and visitors can feel assured that their vehicles will be safe and secure in our car parks.”

Graham Chapman, Area Manager for the British Parking Association said: “I am very pleased that once again Braintree District Council has committed to ensuring that 16 car parks have complied with the standards required by the police owned Safer Parking Scheme by providing quality management and a clean environment with low recorded crime and anti-social behaviour. It is reassuring for the residents of Braintree to know that despite cutbacks they see the value in maintaining car parks to acceptable police award standards, which are monitored annually by the BPA and Essex Police.”

Stephen Armson-Smith, Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor and Designing out Crime Officer, said: “Essex Police are pleased to be working with Braintree District Council and the British Parking Association to provide safe and secure car parking provisions within the Braintree District under the Park Mark award scheme.”

Customers using the car parks can also take advantage of the 10p parking after 3pm initiative from Monday to Saturday and all day on a Sunday which encourages shoppers to shop locally. All car parks now also offer convenient cashless parking via app, phone or text. ApplePay and card/contactless payment are also available at all car parks.

There are currently 5,000 car parks with the Park Mark award throughout the UK which can be found on a designated website www.parkmark.co.uk

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

Photo: (L-R) Graham Chapman, BPA Area Manager; Councillor Wendy Schmitt, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment and Place; Lorraine Keating, PCSO Essex Police