Southampton City Council Car Parks Receive Prestigious British Parking Association Awards
British Parking Association are delighted to award Southampton City Council with both the Park Mark and Park Access accreditations for a number of their car parks.
These awards recognise the council’s ongoing commitment to providing safe, accessible, and inclusive parking facilities for all users.
Park Mark® is the accredited logo of the Safer Parking Scheme. It is given to parking facilities that have achieved the requirements of a risk assessment conducted by the Police and the British Parking Association. Their assessments include management and maintenance of the facility, checking that there are appropriate levels of surveillance, lighting, signage, and cleanliness. All these are known to reduce the opportunity for crime and thus create a safer environment for the motorist and their vehicle.
The Park Access 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. 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.
Park Access brings together the very best of two accreditations – the Disabled Parking Accreditation and People’s Parking Award to automatically become the UK's industry benchmark for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities.
The car parks accredited were:
- Grosvenor Square MSCP
- Grosvenor Square North (surface)
- Marland MSCP
- West Park MSCP
- Eastgate Street MSCP
- Bedford MSCP
- Civic Centre (surface)
Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of Southampton City Council said: “The Parking Services team has worked tirelessly to improve car parks across the city. These enhancements have focused on safety, accessibility, and customer experience.
“I’m delighted that these efforts have been recognised by the British Parking Association with the Park Mark and Park Access accreditation for several of our car parks. These accreditations reflect our commitment to creating safe and inclusive spaces for all users.”
Richard Hein - Service Lead (Interim) - Parking and Itchen Bridge said: “Having Park Mark and Park Access accreditation ensures that our parking facilities meet high safety and security standards. It reassures our visitors and staff that their vehicles are in a safer environment, reducing the risk of theft or vandalism. We are dedicated in offering accessible and inclusive parking for people with a wide range of needs.
Having these accreditations also boosts the council’s reputation, showing a commitment to car park safety. Plus, it helps with efficient parking management, aligns with best practices, and supports sustainable transport initiatives. Overall, it makes our car parks a more secure and welcoming place for everyone.”
Warren Bradshaw – BPA Area Manager said “It has been a great pleasure for me to have worked with Southampton City Council in achieving the Park Mark and Park Access accreditation for a number of their car parks. A special thank you to Richard for making this happen.”
Pictured left to right:
- Warren Bradshaw – British Parking Association Area Manager.
- Richard Hein - Service Lead (Interim) Parking and Itchen Bridge - Southampton City Council.
- Councillor Alex Winning - Leader of Southampton City Council.
- James Marshall - Director of Customer, Leisure & Regulatory Services - Southampton City Council.
Notes to editors
For more information please contact the BPA press office – email: media@britishparking.co.uk or visit our Newsroom.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.