Greater Anglia and NCP rail station car parks achieve People’s Parking award

Greater Anglia rail station car parks, managed by NCP, have received People’s Parking accreditations.

The awards have been given for 12 stations on the operator’s network – Attleborough, Audley End, Billericay, Broxbourne, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Hatfield Peverel, Ingatestone, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, Rayleigh and Wickford.

The accreditations mean that the car parks demonstrate good signage and pedestrian routes, are well lit, clean and well-managed, well-located and have a range of payment options available. 

People’s Parking accreditations also aim to highlight car parks which have facilities for disabled people, parents with children, cyclists and motorcyclists, people who drive electric vehicles, those who drive light commercial vehicles/camper vans, and those who drive wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Greater Anglia’s asset management director, Simone Bailey, said: “Over the last few years we have invested millions in upgrading our car parks to ensure they offer accessible, convenient parking for our customers. This has included increasing capacity, resurfacing, re-lining, accessibility improvements and the introduction of ANPR and easier ways to pay.

“We know customers who drive to stations want to be able to park as quickly and easily as possible, which is why we’re committed to improving parking across the Greater Anglia network.

“We are delighted with these accreditations which demonstrate that, in partnership with NCP, we have made great strides in this area.”

In order to achieve an accreditation, car parks must meet the following criteria: 

• safely lit – Car parks must be to a specified luminance to ensure the car park is bright and people can see where they are going, 
• clean – Graffiti must be removed within a reasonable time scale and litter removed regularly, 
• safe pedestrian access – People should be able to move easily between the parking facilities and amenities, 
• good signage – Signage must be provided to identify entrances and exits, directions to lifts, stairwells, payment machines or meters and clear signposting from the car park entrance directing people to the location of specialist bays e.g. disabled or parent and child, and 
• designated bays enforced – It is essential that where different bays are reserved for different groups of people, only those people park in them.

Helen Dolphin MBE, director of People’s Parking, who is also a quadruple amputee and disability campaigner, said: “I am thrilled that NCP has achieved so many People’s Parking accreditations as it demonstrates their commitment to improving their car parks for everyone.

“Although many of their car parks had facilities for different customers they were not necessarily at our required standard, and it has taken a lot of hard work to get them People’s Parking ready. In some cases this has meant re-painting bays and installing new equipment.

“As well as putting their car parks into my scheme I’ve also helped train NCP staff in disability equality, and I have no doubt that their customers will benefit from this increased awareness.”  

Greater Anglia and NCP are working to achieve the accreditation for more station car parks in the future.

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