Granby Street car park

Charnwood Borough Council car parks receive Park Mark and Park Access awards

Their Beehive Lane site was awarded the Safer Parking Award and their Granby Street site earned the Award of Excellence, both displaying the highest standards in their parking facilities.

Charnwood Borough Council's Granby Street site has achieved the Park Access Award, highlighting a commitment to accessibility on the part of the council. Park Access® aims to become recognised throughout the whole of the UK for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities. Park Access will enable everyone, regardless of their accessibility needs, to identify car parks and facilities, such as EV charge points, that they can use with ease.

The accreditation is issued to parking facilities that pass a rigorous risk assessment conducted by the British Parking Association.  This award recognises that the parking and driver facilities in place are accessible to all drivers regardless of their mobility needs, bringing together the very best of two accreditations – the Disabled Parking Accreditation and People’s Parking Award – to become the UK's industry benchmark for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities.

Their Beehive Lane site has also earned the Park Mark award, part of the Safer Parking Scheme - managed by the BPA on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, the SPS requires each car park to undergo a rigorous assessment by specially trained police assessors. Assessments include management and maintenance of the facility, taking into consideration surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness. Car parks accredited under the scheme are awarded the Park Mark® certification, indicating they meet the highest standards of safety and security.

Councillor Liz Blackshaw, lead member for communities and neighbourhoods at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “Thank you to the British Parking Association for recognising our commitment to making our car parks as safe, smooth-running and accessible for all motorists as possible.

“We are proud to be associated with the Park Mark scheme for 20 years, ensuring that our car parks are checked on a regular basis to ensure that it meets the high standards of the BPA and reassures our car parking visitors.”

Matt Robinson, area manager for British Parking Association, said: “I am delighted that Charnwood Borough Council have achieved the Park Mark award, demonstrating their hard work and commitment to provide a safe environment for users. A number of the Council car parks have achieved the award for 20 years, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the parking team at the Council to always maintain the highest of standards.”

Notes to editors

For more information please contact the BPA press office – email: media@britishparking.co.uk or visit our Newsroom.

  1. The BPA is a not-for-profit membership association. We collaborate with our members and stakeholders so they can support their local communities by providing the parking services they need and improving compliance with parking rules and regulations.
  2. The Safer Parking Scheme is a national standard for UK car parks that have low crime and measures in place to ensure the safety of people and vehicles. A Park Mark is awarded to each car park that achieves the challenging standards. The distinctive Park Mark signage helps drivers find car parks where they can confidently leave their vehicle, knowing the environment is safer.
  3. The BPA manages the Safer Parking Scheme on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives Ltd (Police-CPI) and with support from the Home Office and the Scottish Government. Nine Area Managers are employed by the BPA to actively promote and manage the scheme throughout the UK.
  4. Police Crime Prevention Initiatives Ltd owns the police element of the project. Police CPI works alongside Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to deliver the police element of the Safer Bus Station Scheme.