What do you look for when you want to park your car away from home?

Do you look for CCTV, uniform attendants, high fences, barriers? Or do you look for neglect, discarded drink cans, graffiti, and piles of broken car window glass?

Out of the two, the first option is obviously the best but a car park can be safe without CCTV and high fencing. 

The Association of Chief Police Officers, in association with the British Parking Association, has set up the Safer Parking Scheme to make the choice of what is a “safe car park” and what is not, easier for the motoring public to make. 

Since October 2004, car parks within the United Kingdom have been approved by Police assessors with a view to them attaining a Park Mark™ award which is only awarded if the operator has demonstrated that they have taken action to reduce crime and disorder. By the end of 2005, nearly 2000 cars parks in the country have achieved the award and many more are anticipated over the coming years.

The Accredited Assessors inspect car parks on a scheduled basis to check nine key areas including how the site is managed, lighting and access. Once a site has achieved the standard required, the car park operator is issued a Park Mark™ award and has the right to display the Park Mark™ sign. The award can be withdrawn at any time by the Police if the operator fails to maintain those standards first demonstrated on its issue. 

With this scheme in place, you the motorist only needs to decide which is the closest Park Mark™ car park to where you want to be. No more taking a chance that the car you park will still be there when you return or will be undamaged. Although this scheme cannot eliminate crime entirely from a car park, you can be assured that the risks in a Park Mark™ site will be considerably less than one without the award.

A full list of participating car parks is available on the website of British Parking Association, www.saferparking.co.uk . From within the site, you can view car parks in any part of the United Kingdom so you can be assured of finding a Safer Car Park wherever you visit.