Council celebrates recognition for safer parking

Bromsgrove District Council is proud to announce that five of their town centre car parks have been officially awarded the prestigious Park Mark status.

New Road, Parkside, Recreation Road South, St John Street and Windsor Street car parks have all been awarded Park Mark status in recognition of the council’s commitment to providing safer, cleaner and more secure parking for residents and visitors to Bromsgrove Town Centre.

To achieve this certification, each car park underwent rigorous evaluation and a comprehensive risk assessment by trained police assessors, looking at key criteria such as:

• Designing out crime
• Quality management
• Appropriate lighting
• Effective surveillance
• Clean environment

Over the last few years, Bromsgrove District Council has invested in district car parks to improve the offering for visitors, whilst also taking steps to ‘design out’ crime and deter potential anti-social behaviour or criminal activity. For example, recently upgraded lighting systems and improved sight lines across these car parks have significantly improved CCTV coverage and visibility.

Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Regeneration, Cllr Karen May, said: “Our Officers have worked hard over the past few years to improve district car parks, investing in better lighting, surveillance, and crime reduction tactics, to ensure visitors can park with confidence in a secure and well-managed environment. To receive Park Mark accreditation is the cherry on top of the cake, recognising this work and our ongoing commitment to community safety and resident wellbeing.”

Park Mark is part of the Safer Parking Scheme, an initiative of the Association of Chief Police Officers, managed by the British Parking Association. It is the only official Police Crime Prevention initiative of its kind, helping motorists identify audited and certified Safer Parking sites. Park Mark car parks are regularly assessed by specially trained Police Assessors and the BPA Audit team against a strict set of criteria.

Motorists can now plan ahead and choose a Park Mark accredited car park online or look for the distinctive Park Mark signage when choosing where to park in Bromsgrove, knowing that these facilities have been vetted by the Police and meet high standards for safety and security.

For more information about the Park Mark scheme, visit www.parkmark.co.uk.