Winning success! Middlesbrough Sports Village Awarded Park Mark

Middlesbrough Sports Village has received the prestigious Park Mark, the Safer Parking Scheme award that recognises car parks with measures in place that actively deter crime and the fear of crime in car parks. The car parks at the Everyone Active-run site were assessed in October after changes were made to make them safer for customers.

A Park Markis 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 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 motorists and their vehicles.

Steve Cranston, Designing Out Crime Officer, Cleveland Police said: “When we first visited the facility there were issues around repeat crime and physical features within the car parks. It is great to see that Everyone Active took ownership of the issues upon consultation with ourselves and had a pro-active approach to designing out opportunities for crime to occur. With the installation of a new CCTV system and redesigning of some physical aspects of the car park, the problems and incidents have been drastically reduced.”

Ryan Davey, British Parking Association Area Manager, said: “The management and staff at Middlesbrough Sports Village have worked hard to gain the award. They have made improvements to the car parks which have helped to reduce incidents and have kept people and their vehicles safe when using the facility.”

Lee Dobson, Everyone Active’s General Manager, said “We are delighted to receive the Park Mark award and hope it will reassure the local community that the facilities and safety measures at Middlesbrough Sports Village are of the highest possible standard.”